Fury
by Kaoz
Summary: They made a mistake. They left me, thought I was dead. Now I'm going to kill them all.10000Hits is pretty good so thanks for the reading. Don't be put off by the length.
1. From the Flames

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: **None that I can see yet.**  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**Chapter 1: ****From the Flame to Ashes**

**Here I stand, helpless and left for dead.**

**Close your eyes, so many days go by, easy to find what's wrong,**

**Harder to find what's right.**

She is surrounded. They know she has no way out. They've locked her in with at least two dozen vampires- different, better than before and they think it's to their advantage but the vampires don't count on her anger burning as bright as it does.

_'I hate them.' _

It's all she can think of, the only thought she allows.

They stop, snarl at her like animals, fangs bared and hissing. They pushed her into a corner, can smell her- almost taste her blood in their mouths… the mob approaches; tentative at first, still testing her and she moves accordingly. One more step back, hands reaching to her sides and the Sai.

She smiles.

_'Dead.'_

More than one comes at her at once. She moves in liquid grace, the flash of silver in her hands nothing more than a spark and there is ash all around. The hissing and screams… they don't stop the echoes of memory. Nothing ever does.

_'They've taken it all.'_

They've stolen the warmth and love most people take for granted, as their due. She had been like them- normal… once.

_'There's nothing left.'_

She can't feel it, feel anything anymore. There aren't any smiles, no innocent laughter….

_'I'll destroy them. Every last one.'_

**F**

They've run far enough. The vampires are everywhere but they knew that going in. The NightStalkers have taken on a nest, just another one in a long line of bloodsucking cesspools.

The crash of shattering glass offers Andie a brief distraction and she takes it, she takes any advantage the suckheads offer without thanks. The ashing body is kicked away and a second blade is flung in a smooth motion born of incessant practice to catch another vampire. She notices what has them cowering at the same time Chris does. He fires off two more stakes watching as two bodies fly out of the broken window dividing the rooms. The moment they hit the floor they break into pieces, still smoking and crunchy.

"Didn't know there was a room back there." He comments, head tilting as another body comes flying out still screeching a protests for its death.

Andie stands at his side, both stare as the shadowed figure approaches. Chris takes down a straggling vampire as it backs away from the obscured room.

Long black hair flows in waves around her; dark eyes survey the lobby area skimming over Andie and Chris with a slight pause at their presence.

"Whoa." Chris breathes much to Andie's annoyance but 'whoa' is correct. The woman is small, a slim build though she looks too delicate- not at all frightening.

She steps up onto the window ledge, black leather pants molding to her curves like a second skin and Chris is admiring the view. She hops down and saunters into the mayhem, boots crunching on broken glass. The vampires hiss and back away, one doesn't notice the NightStalker at his back and Andie takes the easy kill.

The dark beauty is armed for war and Chris takes inventory of her arsenal. She carries a pair of three pronged blades in her hands, flips them lazily as she walks. To her back is strapped an empty quiver, the black vest an actual harness and on her wrist a leather cuff with two silver stakes left in the loops. She stops in the center of the lobby, turning to survey the damage and Chris notices the belt; two square packs are strapped in back and the buckle is a fancy work of ornately woven metal threads.

"Dica loro."

Her voice is soft, the tone brooks no argument. The vampires look at each other, uncertain of their next move and that confuses the NightStalkers. Vampires afraid of a woman?

"Whoa, whoa! Hey!" Chris protests as they attack- completely ignoring him and Andie. "No fair!" he pumps the shotgun, fires and takes a suckhead down as Andie moves to his back. She throws a blade at a vampire turning tail to run and misses the second. It's all they can do as the woman moves between the vampires-too close for them to interfere without risk of hurting her.

From their left Abby finally appears. She bursts in, revolver in hand and skids to a halt, mouth forming a little 'o' as she takes in the strange sight.

"Who's that?" she asks with a slight frown.

"Dunno." The kids reply, Chris shrugging carelessly.

Andie is in awe; she moves like a graceful dancer, avoiding every punch, kick and fang, using the knives to ash them. She weaves between two vampires slipping a foot low then ducking forward and they clock each other hard. She slides her other leg back twisting her body in a turn and lightly stabbing with the knives before spinning low on her feet and coming up behind another vamp.

It's beautiful.

Her Sai cut through anything in her path, send a shower of sparks all around until they can't see her clearly. All she is, all they see is a shadow moving from one end of the lobby to the other. It seems they've watched her for hours when in reality it's taken the woman two minutes to do what the NightStalkers had planned to accomplish in fifteen.

Abby picks up the sound of metal and aims at the shadow she can barely make out.

"Hold it!" she orders ignoring the curious looks from the kids. They've stood back and watched a stranger-a woman they know nothing about who's seemingly fought on their side. Abby doesn't know her motives; the reason behind the fury of her assault on the vampires and not knowing is likely to kill them, any of them.

Abby can't shoulder anymore of it.

"Get out." She's there, just in front of the ash; black hair flowing as though there were a breeze, skin almost glowing… Abby's eyes fall on the sword in her hand, the knives now sheathed at her sides. Abby doesn't have time to react as in one smooth motion the woman turns, the sword swiveling around her waist and cutting a vampire in half. She turns to her left and takes a second.

Abby never saw them.

The woman continues her turn; the sword spins around her waist then is raised above her head. She drops to her knee imbedding the tip of the sword in the marble floor.

The gentle tremor slowly builds up until the NightStalkers feel it.

"Get! Out!" It's their last warning; if they remain they are no longer her problem. They are not her responsibility, easily forgotten…

She will be fine.

It's not like she can die…

The air grows hot, stifling and flickers of fire dance along her bare arms as if testing the air. She closes her eyes, concentrates on where she wants them to go. The fire leaps, covers the floor, walls and ceiling in front of her- pushed away from the humans at her back.

Still protecting them…

"What the fuck!" Chris exclaims, he automatically draws Andie another step away from the woman, hand clamped on her forearm.

They don't see her eyes open, the copper and gold flashing and the fire surges forward. The flames burst through doors and more windows, go where she wills them, searching, consuming.

"What the fuck!" Chris yells again.

She hears him like an echo; her focus is ahead, where she can _feel_ them, those nasty bloodsucking leeches… they crawl over each other, search for a way out.

_'You're all going to pay.'_

"King!" Abby cries turning to the kids. "Where's King?"

"He's not back yet." Andie answers, ice blue eyes wide. The trio turn as one, towards the fire as it rushes along the walls and rides the ceiling. The woman hasn't moved, still on her knee, head bent and her back to them.

Abby feels her breath stick, can't seem to draw in air and forces herself not to panic.

_'Please, please not him too.'_

"HEY!" Chris roars. He stomps towards her, to the woman about to flambé his step-Father and grabs at her shoulder before Andie or Abby thinks to stop him. "AHH!" he pulls back immediately.

"Chris!" Andie yells, frightened because she's never heard him sound in such pain before.

The woman doesn't make a sound, doesn't pay them any attention.

"Let me see!" Andie demands and yanks on Chris' arm. He's ten times stronger than her, raging testosterone and hunting takes the edge off. For a little while. She pries his fingers loose only because he allows it and finds blistering skin already watering and some of his hand looks- it's been…charred? Andie drags in a breath feeling just a little sick.

"What did you do to him?" Andie's voice starts as no more than a whisper. She screams her question at the kneeling woman surprising Chris as she draws her gun. It's a bulky thing, so out of place in the small hand though Andie's hand never wavers. She is stronger than she looks.

"Get out."

"We're not going without my Dad!" Chris states while the throbbing in his hand pulses like a second heartbeat, painful and insistent.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?" Andie demands. She aims at the back of the bent head, ice blue eyes hard.

"Ashes…" that's all they will be and she nods unperceptively. She knows more than one has gotten away but the rest… there won't be anything but ashes left when she is done.

"Like hell!" Andie denies and shoves her gun at the woman. "Get the _fuck_ up!"

_'Children…'_

That's all they are. Children playing at superhero's and all she wants is for them to leave. She can't worry about them, can't let herself feel concerned but she sense the girls anger and the boys pain-

_'Pain I caused.'_

There's a little guilt for her part, because she has little control over what she is, what she can do.

_'No. No, please…'_

It's happened before and she knows the signs. The fire is growing, raging…

She stands quickly, takes the gun from the girl easily and settles the point of her sword just under the boy's throat, point barely grazing the skin.

"I told you to leave." She states. Blood smears the top of her red lips. A second line slowly trickles from her nose…

Andie and Chris stare at her; at the swirling copper and gold sparks- they've never seen eyes like hers and are certain the woman can't be human.

The sound of her voice carries to Abby who stands just behind the kids the woman now holds captive. She can't believe how fast the woman is and thinks of Blade. He's the only one she's ever seen move like that other than a vamp… Now this woman, a perfect stranger has both of Hannibal's kids.

"PUT IT DOWN! NOW!" Abby orders, hands clenched around her revolver. She blinks the sting of sweat from her eyes trying to keep her gun steady. From the corner of her eye she catches sight of King as he bursts out of a door. It's the expression on his face as he takes in the situation…

_'Always the hero.'_

**F**

King pulls his way past the door and skids to a halt. He glances back at the hallway, waits tense for the fight only the vamps on his ass aren't there anymore.

"Pussy's." he mutters and the frown is replaced with a satisfied smirk. It falls away as his mind processes the scene he finds in the lobby. His heart hits the bottom of his stomach and he sees them again, re-lives that day in the few seconds just before he runs full speed towards them. He doesn't think of failing, doesn't let the doubt slow him down because he _can't_ fail his kids.

_'My kids.'_

Andie is as much his as Christian can ever be without actually having blood ties.

King grabs the woman around her waist, both arms enveloping her as they tumble away from the kids.

She cries out painfully, drops the gun and sword as they roll over. The building shakes- trembles like there's an earthquake and the fire is forced down into the parking garage where it washes over the fleeing vampires. The others, Abby and the kids don't see that, they don't know she's protected them.

_'Why?'_ is her only thought before the world goes dark.

King rolls on top of the woman and pins her. She isn't moving but he doesn't loosen her wrists and sits up breathing hard. For some reason he thinks of the last time he's done this; when Danika had been taking shots at Abby before she managed to shoot him with the DayStar arrow…

He shakes his head to clear it and focuses on the very still woman lying beneath him. Her chest rises with each shallow breath and King takes both her wrists in one of his hands; figures a little thing like her isn't going anywhere if she is faking. King is big, not stupid, a little careless sometimes but not stupid, never that. With his free hand, King flicks a few strand of black hair out of her face…

Her eyes are closed, the long lashes brushing against her skin which has a healthy flush. The pinkish-red tint splashing across her cheeks doesn't hide the freckles peppered across her nose. King's barely there smile is quickly wiped off, clears his throat avoiding the urge to look over his shoulder just to make sure no one saw him and sees the blood, an inky strand leaving a streak of red across her cheek. He grabs her chin roughly and turns her face thinking she's fed, that she is one of the suckheads.

_'Right up my alley.'_

He sighs, relieved to find a pulse and cause for the blood.

"Just a nose bleed." He mutters under his breath.

"DAD! Dad! We have to go!" Chris yells from the empty frame of the lobby's front doors. King can hear the sirens in the background and hangs his head. They've made a much bigger mess of this hunt than he had planned or gave themselves credit for. No one had factored in the woman passed out in the ruined lobby.

"King." Abby's boots crunch on the clumps of melted glass and debris. "Let's go!" she orders, turns away as though he'd follow on her heels.

_'Like I'm some fucking mutt. Well fuck you.'_

But he doesn't say it, grits his teeth and it's all he can do to keep his mouth shut instead of telling her exactly how he feels right then. How fucking 'grateful' he is she was there to watch out for his kids. How much he 'owes' her since the day she set foot on his door and got his family killed. How 'happy' he is to be hunting down suckheads and cleaning up the mess since DayStar went screwy.

King stands and pulls the woman up with him easily setting her over his shoulder.

_'Huh, can't be over a buck twenty.'_ He notes absently as he starts towards their exit.

"What are you doing?" Abby demands pulling on his arm to make him stop. He stares at her hand, where she still touches him and waits until she lets go. His eyes are cold when they look at her and Abby flinches inwardly.

_'He's never going to forgive me.'_

Neither one of them can ever forget.

With what she's done… no one could.

"Something wrong with your eyes, Whistler?" he really doesn't want to hear the answer, doesn't care to hear anything Abigail has to say but he keeps it civil enough. He starts for the exit again and notices how the smoke billows around him, parting with each step he takes.

"Now that's some fucking trick."

**F**

**an: I've re-written this entire fic with the exception of a few chapters, just because I liked the way they were and a couple of bits in others. There's also going to be some added filler chapters for this fic because in reading it I've come to see there are somethings that need some explaining and there were others I just got too lazy to write up.**

**I hope this version is still as enjoyable as the first draft. let me know how this works.  
**

**F**

**1052 hits and not one of you could leave a review... not one of you besides WHATtheF and Split Enz.**

**Everyone else... well, if you like it review and if you don't Review Anyway!**


	2. Run Away

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: **None yet.**  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written. just felt it was not my best writing. I hope this works better for those of you who have read it and do expect there to be new chapters added. I am expanding on this fic.**

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**Chapter 2 :****Run Away…**

**Forgotten thoughts of yesterday, through my eyes I see the past,**

**I don't know why I believe the truth form inside,**

**Go away, go away from me…**

She sits up trying to control her crying but nothing she does stops the wrenching sobs. Hot tears course down her cheeks, she covers her face and her body shakes. She dreams of them almost every night; their faces sometimes condemn her- hateful and at other times, rarely do they forgive.

She feels it, the slow trickle from her nose and touches a finger to it. She bleeds… more and she tries to make it stop, wipes at her nose with a shaky hand. It won't stop and she's afraid of what will happen. It'll start and then she won't be able to control it, hasn't learned to and never cared. There wasn't any need because she's been alone, no one she has to care for.

She feels the lightest amount of heat, sees the bed begin to smolder- tendrils of white smoke rising off the sheets and only stares.

Her brow furrows in confusion and she focuses on where she is, but it isn't her bed… she looks around, at the spartan furnishings in the unfamiliar room-nothing is hers.

They stand at her bedside, all four of them as the fire bursts to life and the flames lick at her body.

_"No! No! NO!"_ she screams and the fire rides the ceiling, billowing like tiny herds of horses and they can't get out. They are trapped and once more she is at fault, can't help them…

Flames weave through her hair, feather light caresses while the sheets are consumed and the bed continues to burn. It's a jealous lover, flames dancing, going where she wills until they grow so big it's as though they have a will of their own.

Blood runs out of her like a river, clothes covered in red and she can't wipe it off.

_"No, please…NO!"_

She screams and there is no sound, no one hears…

_"Please…please…"_

He stands by her side; just the shadow of him and her pain eases just a little. She doesn't know who he is, why he is always in her dreams. He never speaks, never does anything other than stand right there, beside her, always there… She can reach out, touch him but she won't. Whoever he is…she feels at peace.

_'Death is coming.'_

**F**

"Get out!" she sits up in the makeshift hospital bed, her choked scream the only sound and she clutches at her face, shaking.

King makes his way to her side carefully, not sure he believes what his son has said. He can't deny the ash or the soot on the walls but come on! A wave of fire? And the woman cowering in the hospital bed was responsible?

_'I'm the fucking Easter Bunny. Check out my big floppy ears.'_

Right.

He stops at the foot of the bed, watches her curl up and knows she has to be crying though he can barely hear her-

"Who are you?"

Her voice is a smoky whisper floating past the inky curtain of hair obscuring her face.

"Hannibal King." His reply is automatic, doesn't even think it and lacks the usual sarcasm in tone. That's just weird and King moves closer. She looks up and scoots back suddenly. "Whoa, hey." His hand is raised and he doesn't approach. King stares, can't help himself because he's never seen eyes like hers, eyes so dark he isn't sure what color they are but for the firefly's that spark in their depths-. King would swear he could see her soul and it rips through him like a Mac truck.

"Hannibal."

His name whispers past her lips and his knees wobble like Jell-O. His throat goes dry and his feet are unexplainably glued to the floor where he stands. He lowers his trembling hands hastily and works his tongue into some semblance of his normal self.

"Who are you?" he asks, eyes never leaving her face.

"You're in my dreams…" firefly eyes flick over his features, committing to memory the face she's never been able to see. She knows its him, _feels_ it- recognition and questions this. "Why-?" she flinches, looks down and eye contact is broken. King drags in a breath, feels his heart beating normally and wonders what the hell just happened to make him revert to pre-adolescence.

"No…No, no…" she smears the blood dripping on her fingers and more runs over her lip. She hates the coppery taste in her mouth, the unbearable warmth that is building inside of her and scrambles off the bed. King tries to help her but she won't let him near. She hits the floor, on her knees as King rounds the bed to help her.

"Stay away!" she panics, lunges off the floor and as far away from him as she can get. "Please…go." Fresh tears fill her eyes and those firefly's just seem brighter. "Let me go." It's a softer whisper than before and all King has is more questions but for her it's just like the dream. She'll hurt them, because she has no control over what she is, what she was forced to become.

"Why?" King creeps closer, never stopped moving towards her and she keeps backing away but there's nowhere to go in that corner. "Let me help you."

_'Fuck.'_ It's a momentary pause and then he's moving steadily towards her again. _'Since when is 'us' just _me_?'_

"No." she turns to the wall at her back. They are four stories high and the window is double-paned; no way will she get out that way. King is confident, knows she has to get past him to reach the door and get out- he can see how this would give her the wrong impression but he's not some crazy psycho on a rampage- the news can kiss his ass.

Even if she gets past him the others are outside. King isn't about to let her go so easy, not now.

He can't.

"NO." King even shakes his head. In the back of his mind he wonders how the hell he knows what she's thinking when he's never seen her before in his life. He's positive they've never met but it just _feels_…

She looks at him once more, dark eyes full of tears and he thinks she's almost sorry but he's not sure what for. She turns to the window- it's only a few feet away.

"No, No!"

But she's running straight for it, the rag she grabbed from the end table discarded.

"NO! NOOO!" King tries to grab for her, knows he's too far and watches helplessly as she leaps onto the sill. The double-paned glass shatters and he knows full well that can't be possible. He knows she has to be in pain and the fall will kill her- glass cascades all around, bouncing off his arm and shoulder, glinting in the late sun, resembling delicate drops of clear water, shimmering like rainbows.

He can hear the others rush in, hears their questions while he watches her glide- yes, she's fucking _gliding_ the four stories down and King is questioning whether he really saw the flames…?

Who is she?

Why did _he_ get all fucking concerned with the- the- concern?

And huh?

King shakes his head as if to clear it- and what was with the mooning look? Acting like he'd never seen a- a- _Fuck_! _What_ was- is, what _is_ she?

"KING!" Abby's voice cuts through the fog of his thoughts bringing him back to reality with a harsh kathump he'd swear he could almost feel.

"What!" he growls turning to glare at her. The simmering anger is always there, just under the surface and he keeps it there. There had been a time when he wouldn't have questioned Abby, when he'd trust her to have his back…. Times change and so do people. After DayStar… No, King can't forgive her for that, he can't forget about Zoë and wondering where she is or if she is ok.

"Dad," Chris… tall, dark haired Chris. "What happened?" his step-son questions and it's as though she is looking at King, the same piercing stare, just like his Mother...

"I- I'm not sure." King's hands fist- 'if only' won't help but that's what he thinks about. If only Abby hadn't shown up on his door step. If only he'd been a little faster. If only, if only, if only, if only!

King brushes past them and heads out of the room. He shies away from their memories and it's her- the firefly eyes and her whispered voice that follow him, tearing through him like some- some-

_'Fuck!'_

"I don't even know her name." King mutters stopping at the foot of his bed.

**F**

Hannibal.

His name is Hannibal King.

She has a name and a face for the man in her dreams but no answers.

Why?

Who is he? Why is he there, in her dreams?

Why does she care?

She paces, confused, elated, nervous- a jumble of emotions and its frightening… To feel… She's not used to so many emotions, she's turned herself off, shut away from the world, from people- it's so much easier.

He has a family.

_'He _looked_ at me.'_

He saw _her_, she'd felt it…

His family.

_She_ had a family, once…

"No…"

Her head is pounding, the insistent cadence getting louder and louder.

"Stop…please stop…"

She is home now, where it all began. There's no one to hurt, no one who wants to come near the abandoned estate. Such tragedy…

"Please…"

_'Why won't this stop?'_

Her screams echo, in the distance a flock of birds takes flight. No one is close enough to hear, no one but the shaggy haired beast loping through the forest.

_'Why won't it stop? Why? Why? Why!'_

The walls are black, charred but the stones remain in place. No light penetrates her self-made cell. The drip of water from the outdated sprinkler system has formed puddles in the dirt floor. Each drop is magnified a hundred times- they sound like bombs and she's clutching at her head, pressing tightly to her ears but it doesn't help. She stumbles through the broken pieces of furniture, smacks hard against a heavy piece and they move. Simple. She doesn't lift a finger, there's no need, it just is. A side effect, part of the plan…

_"Evolution…. The perfect human…"_

"NO!"

The smell of wet earth is suffocating, she can't breathe…

_"You could be stronger."_

They took everything.

_"Never fall ill, never worry over his health."_

Took everything there was; the vials and notes…the formula.

_"You'll understand once you see. You'll feel differently after this."_

It was supposed to be a cure.

That's what he said, 'a cure to end all plagues'.

And she believed…

It was never about helping the masses, never about bettering the quality of human life… Not for him.

One day bleeds into the next, so many it seems she's been this thing forever and maybe she has because the memories of that day are just as fresh. Why should she care about anything? There's no one left to care _for_…

She's curled in a corner, shivering though not from the cold; she can never be cold enough for that.

They've made a mistake, they've made a powerful enemy- one they fear because she has nothing left they can take.

**F  
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	3. Jahnzen

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: **None yet.**  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written.**

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**Chapter 3 :****Jahnzen **

**Trembling, crawling across my skin,**

**Feeling your cold dead eyes,**

**Stealing the life of mine.**

_Keep busy._

_Find the others._

_No rest, no time._

It's the list she goes over and over in her head, almost a prayer though the words no longer have any meaning. They do nothing to block the images that blur over the methodically packed weapons.

"There's no one here."

No sound other than her own. She is all that is left.

Her name is Jahnzen.

The shell of the building used to be a grand estate… a very long time ago, when life had been as close to a fairytale as it could be. It's begun to fall apart, just like the fairytale so many years ago…

Lady Riven.

The last to carry the title, respected because of it…

None of that is important now, she doesn't see how it ever could have been but she'd valued her family's name, the position- then….

No one was left, they were all gone, Mother, Father… brother.

"I'm the last."

It gives her pause, the knowledge there will never be anyone else.

She'd had a family once.

_"…Mommy!..."_

Her parents died of influenza, her brother fighting a war… all she'd had left ….

_"Mommy!"_

Her eyes burn, vision is blurred but she can still see him.

_"MOMMY!"_

_'He doesn't have it… He doesn't know anything…'_

He was just a little boy.

_'My beautiful boy…'_

Just a baby, at least in her eyes. Six years old, terrified, screaming for her.

_"Please!"_

Begging, pleading- it does nothing, changes nothing and they didn't care.

She was captive, encased in glass and nothing she did would break her free no matter how much she wanted it.

_"NO! PLEASE, NO!"_

A tear slowly trails down her cheek, there's no one around, no one near the abandoned estate…

Her screams echoed in the glass cylinder they tossed her in. They didn't touch her, not her…unnecessary. They took what she cared for most, taunted her with their lives.

_'Slade…'_

He tried. They fed from him, left him half dead but even then Slade tried to reach her, tried to do something.

_'…his fault…'_

He was to blame for _everything_.

_"Leave him! PLEASE! Stop them!"_

She closes her eyes but it doesn't block the screaming in her head. So much screaming…

_"MOMMY!"_

"No, please no."

Her voice is no louder than a whisper now. There isn't anyone to save now.

She sees it all again, watches Slade fall, reaching… The cylinder fills with water, it rises slowly, inexorably- she can't stop begging them to let him go. Even when he doesn't scream anymore, when he can't and the light leaves his eyes… Her sweet boy isn't there anymore…

Jahnzen can't breathe, she feels the same panic rise in her chest but it's only a memory. In that memory she's drowning again, the water goes over her head. She has no air and shouldn't care but her body fights it, her lungs demand oxygen, wants to breathe.

They don't feel anymore, they can't see… they're all dead now.

But Slade entered the sequence, he turned the key…

The gas mixed in, changed the water and all the colors of the rainbow enveloped her; beautiful.

Dying wasn't so bad, wished it could have been as simple for them.

_"Jahnzen."_

The bloody hand on the glass, Slade cradling her little boy…

She can see it again, watches them lie bloody and broken- their lives taken in an instant.

So easy. It was all so easy for them…

But they left her.

They made a mistake and left _her_.

"I'll destroy them all."

It's a promise she means to keep.

**F**


	4. Extermination

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 4 :****Extermination**

**Surround me, **

**It's easy to fall apart completely,**

**I feel you creeping up again…**

They never heard her. Nameless vampires ashed before they could sound off an alarm or make a noise. The long hallway is filled with their burning ashes, obscuring the view when the lights go out. She stops and blinks to adjust her eyes. The vampires aren't the only ones who can see in the dark. They don't like that; don't like her and it gives her a small sense of satisfaction. The hall way is lit in a violet glow, one they can use to track her. She's learned to hide the refracted light with dark shades and she places the simple frame on her face.

A 'man' burst through the door on her right. He sees her and quickly raises his hands in surrender.

_'He knows.'_

"Whoa, whoa, hey!" He backs up, moves away from her as quickly as he can. "Don't you have a job somewhere?"

"You're my job."

He glances over his shoulder and back at her quickly, afraid to let her out of his sight for long.

"Come one! What do ya do for kicks?" he stumbles over his feet.

"Kill your kind." She replies in the same quiet voice. The vampire catches itself on the wall, doesn't see her reach to the buckle only hears the slide of metal and turns towards her.

"Shit." It's the last thing he says because her blade slides into his chest without a problem.

Jahnzen blinks the white spots from her sight as the ash settles. She places the tip of the sword against the buckle and feels the sparks as she slides it back in place.

_"New Technology, beyond its time or any of ours."_

_"Xie, what have you done?"_

_"I can never go back. I have disgraced my family, betrayed my country…"_

_"Xie…"_

_"No. I could not bear to destroy my life's work! They would use it. To kill, to make wars-."_

_"Then you'll stay here. You can continue your work, or not as you please-."_

_"No. It is dangerous. I am a traitor. They will search for me. I am no longer safe to be with."_

Jahnzen turns into the next door as the echoes of that conversation fade away.

_'Xie.'_

Just one more person gone. One more life that was lost and no reason for it, none at all. The old Asian man had been right. He'd been condemned as a traitor to his country, hunted down, murdered… But he'd left behind his notes- journals with his work… and the prototype.

Her fingers trace the pattern of the buckle, what the old man died to protect and she has turned into a weapon.

_'I'm sorry, Xie.'_

The room takes a circular shape and she stops just inside. The windows are shaded but these aren't the type to avoid the light, they don't fear it. They've gotten what they wanted, what they searched for when they attacked her family. These vampires where different, the ones she'd been searching for.

"Come out." They ignore her order and she frowns. Normally they don't need an invitation. They try to kill her every time without fail. "I'll burn you out."

It isn't an idle threat. She makes sure they know it and raises her arm. She opens her fist and the flames come to life, they lick from her elbow to the tips of her fingers. She focuses on the shuffle of steps- just the hint of sound- and only one vampire leaves its hiding place.

"Not good enough." She states. She isn't planning on letting any of them escape but she has questions.

"You'll do." It's smirking, eyeing her from head to toe. Jahnzen is disgusted; he can see it in the slight curl of her lips. He laughs and the shutters open. One by one they drop in rapid succession allowing the sun to wash the room in bright light.

She turns away, arm raised to cover her eyes but the damage is done. She can blink all she wants, try to get the white spot from clouding her vision… they've blinded her.

Jahnzen reaches out, where the vampire had been standing hoping he hasn't moved and is rewarded by the screaming corpse as it burns. She lashes out, swiping the shades off her face- useless now. The blur of shapes is all she can see but they're screaming. She can smell them burning –

Her head explodes into a kaleidoscope of colors, bright and vibrant, rushing waves of pain filter in filling every crevasse and she wants to scream, it hurts that bad.

"Now what?"

Their voices sound hollow. She blinks, stares at the gray marble under her cheek and her fingers dig into the stone.

"Now… she'll join us."

Jahnzen won't allow it. She hasn't lived this long to let some leech turn her- _'NO!'_

The vampires are startled, take a step back and it's too late. The woman they've tried to capture becomes a flaming torch. They turn to run, watch the others fleeing and never make it a third step before they're consumed. The last thing the vampire smells is the coppery scent of blood tainted by ash. Even dying he wants it, needs and craves it…

She's a foot off the ground, a small sun- no conscience and out of control. She can _see _them, the vampires running from her.

_'All of them…'_

Yes, they are all to blame.

There won't be anything left when she is done, no one to question and that's a shame… She'd come for answers.

**F**


	5. Rescue by WHATtheF?

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: **None that I can see yet.

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5 ****: ****Rescue**

By: WHATtheF?

**I dream in darkness,**

**I sleep to die, erase the silence, erase my life,**

**Our burning ashes blacken the day,**

**A world of nothingness, blow me away…**

Do you know how hard it is to get past that yellow tape around a crime scene? Well, allow me to enlighten you. Very fucking hard.

I had already given up getting past the police. Those little rookie deputies were guarding that tape like it was their life line. Like anyone would really want to run into a burnt down building.

Well,

Except me…

Plan B: find a quiet little alley and wait for the scene to clear out.

**F**

_Andie was clutching Chris' sleeve in fear. Someone was lumbering up the steps. King's heartbeat started to quicken as Abby opened her eyes wide in anticipation. A scream pierced the air._

_"Turn it off! Turn it off!" Andie squealed, surprisingly audible from behind Chris' back. King let out a nervous laugh – like he was going to tell everyone he was scared out of his mind, too. Abby smiled and paused the movie while Andie had her little episode._

_"Out of all the things you've seen," Chris said slowly, as if talking to a child, "Some man in some movie scares you?" _

_Andie's eye's emerged from behind Chris._

_"Yes. Yes it does." _

_Chris just laughed at her unabashed honesty and pulled her close to him with a low chuckle. He looked over his shoulder at King and Abby, who both raised their eyebrows in the universal "I'm still here" sign._

_"You know, they should make a movie about us." He said._

_King couldn't decide whether to laugh or play along. In the end he just rolled his eyes, "Too easy." _

_Chris looked genuinely crushed. "What! There's plenty of action and w-"_

_"Chris," Abby said matter-of-factly, "No one is going to watch your father for two hours."_

**F**

_Everyone in the room was severely disappointed. Not only did the funny guy with an accent end up being an assassin, but the thief got away with the diamonds._

_Andie's mouth hung slightly open. "That movie was… awful."_

_King leaned back in his chair and stretched out his arms. "I concur. Last time Abby gets to pick out the movie."_

_"Shut it, Hannibal." Abby said from across the room, standing up to turn off the television._

_"Hell," Chris said. "We're more interesting than that."_

_"What?" King blurted, he was surprised that his eyebrows didn't shoot off his forehead._

_"They should TOTALLY make a movie about us!" Chris borderline squealed. "Dude, what if they got that guy from Van Wilder to play me?"_

_King had so many remarks running through his head that he could have filled an Olympic pool, but he just rubbed his face. "Too easy."_

_"Baby," Andie said, patting Chris' chest, "Just don't speak."_

**F**

Yes, our sick little family. Measuring our life in bloodshed. Wake up, ash a vampire, eat a bagel, waste a nest, say goodnight to the same three people. Don't get me wrong, I love those kids.

Abby – well, I've got a special type of 'love' for her. You know, the kind of love where you kind of can't stand the person. Either way, I've seen them every day for the past three years.

I just need something else. So yes, maybe I did hop on the train a little quick here. And yes, that is why I'm sitting here, waiting for all the little firemen in their yellow suits to leave. Waiting for 'Diane Trabajo-Ling from Channel Six' to leave. Because I know _she's_ there.

And I know the girls don't like her. Andie saw her sear the skin off her boyfriend and Abby doesn't like the threat. But I – I just _have_ to know who she is.

But hey, I'm pretty comfy here waiting in my alley. I've got my headphones on and some coffee to keep me awake…

Screams. That's what tore me awake. They feel like they're all around me. Suddenly they stop.

"And that was _'Ex's and Oh's'_, Atreyu's new single…"

Well, that was a smooth voice. What was that, God? Of course not. It was a D.J.

Mother fucking radio.

Not to mention this krap ass coffee. Way to slack off, caffeine.

In any case, a quick look over the parking lot not covered in fire-fighters means it's clear. Just me and the rats.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

**F**

"Tell me, honestly: Have you ever heard of anything like this?"

_I hear the firefighters speaking to each other in hushed tones. It's only instinct to stop when I hear that tone of voice, so I do. _

"No. I couldn't even find the point of origin for the damn thing and I was in there for over three hours. It looks like whatever started the fire just danced the electric slide all over the Goddamn place."

_I'm laughing on the inside. _

_If you only knew._

"Yeah, and then jumped out the fucking window."

_Now that doesn't strike a bell._

"What?"

_Yeah, tell him._

"You didn't hear? Well, they're keeping it from the press but see that room there? A burning body went flying out of it and here's the real kicker – no one can find it."

_It must have been her._

**F**

I can't quite say why I'm here. There was just something about that woman. When I looked in her eyes I could see the fire burning deep in her soul. Weird, sure, but then again I fight vampires for a living so you might say I'm kind of jaded.

Anyhow, I felt a need to find her. Maybe it has nothing to do with that fire. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm bored out of my skull. It's all the same, everywhere we go.

"We came, we saw, we buried them all."

Might as well be our battle cry. Now don't get it twisted. We're good at what we do. Damn good. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm in a routine. I've been perversely enjoying my _'job'_ too much. I really don't want to tell anyone else. I don't want to scare them. Chris has the 'Temper Monster' covered, they don't need to worry about me forgetting who they are in a fight and slaughtering them all.

It's kind of cute. This demented family we've become. Slaying vampires and still sitting down to eat dinner at seven every night. There's never a dull moment. Hell, I know there's some little punk running around wearing eyeliner and just _wishing_ he was me. Right now, there is someone paying good money to see a movie that has some million dollar gay ass effects that don't even compare to what I've seen.

**F**

There isn't any protest as I step through the glass that used to be the front door. I take a moment to marvel at the lobby, which cost more money than I've ever seen in my life.

I find it so funny that every show, every movie, portrays vampires as small bands of misfits. Dressed in black and slinking through the shadows. The truth is; these fuckers aren't content with slinking through our shadows anymore. They own companies to fund their wicked needs, piling up high tech toys in the corner to pull out for a rainy day. Not to mention the fact that a vampire was just awarded an Oscar – I'll let you decide who.

Anyhow, this building cost the cocksuckers a pretty penny or two.

And she's not in the lobby.

I know this because there isn't _anything_ in the lobby. Damn. That means I have to go up. I stare longingly at the elevator. The doors have been pried open and the elevator cart is tipped on its side. Yep, looks like I'm on the stairs.

I open the door and silently thank God that they were metal stairs. At least I wouldn't have to worry about falling through.

If only that was the least of my worries. By the time I get to the second floor it is painfully obvious that the stairs that would lead me to the third floor are no longer present.

I pull out my flashlight and silently curse God for not giving me a door. So it's up or down. Too bad up looks so painful.

Then I notice the deep grooves left in the marble bricks. Sure, they are covered in soot, but they won't collapse beneath me. That coupled with the metal basts left from where the stairs were – I bet I can climb that.

Or at least I hope I can. But no better time than now to figure it out, right? You know, only when a life might hang in the balance.

No pressure.

I grab the bar poking out of the wall closest to my head and heave my body up. Damn, when did I put on all this weight? I jam my foot in the groove and let out a nervous laugh. I cannot believe this is working.

I slowly make my way up the wall. The only rough part I hit is when I miss a bar and my foot slips out of the groove. Not that I'm trying to downplay it… I almost shit my pants.

But there is a small sense of satisfaction when I do get to the door and am able to look at the height I just climbed.

Or maybe that was bitterness. All that time I was spending with old men named Herbert on the dumb-bells when I should have been teaching cute girls named Candy how to climb Mount Everest.

I pull out my flashlight again and begin to roam the building. I have no idea where I'm going, but I sure as hell am going to get there.

Get to her.

I peek through a door and the view from the windows is familiar. It isn't until I realize that the wind whipping my hair means there are no windows, and that this is the room the firemen had pointed to; the one where the burning body was launched.

I move to get closer to the window panes and stop abruptly when I hear a piece of debris fall from my feet into a hole that goes down a good two stories.

Not that it would be the first time that I fell through a hole. But I'm pretty sure that this one doesn't have a torture chamber under it. Or a petite little brunette sadomasochist either.

I leave the room and continue my search. My fruitless search. What made me think I would find her here anyways?

I notice the conference room. I gingerly press the door and cringe when it falls to the ground. I look around like I'm a five year old who just broke Mommy's favorite vase. Guess I forgot the small fact that there _isn't anyone here_.

But I walk through the room, reliving the past few days in my head. The facts are in and I can't deny what's there…Chris' hand- she burned herself into my memory…

I look at the walls, charred to a crisp. They look so brittle I'm almost afraid to breathe. The ceiling looks as though it will fall –

And that's what I do.

My feet trip over something and I land on the small of my back.

And yes, I squealed like a girl.

**F**


	6. Almost

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 6 :****Almost **

**The only way out is letting your guard down and never die forgotten**

She wakes feeling groggy and sore. The room is dark but only for an instant before the violet glow allows her to see it clearly. She sits up, wincing and hears the light jingle of a chain against metal. Jahnzen pulls on her arm feeling the cold metal bite into her wrist.

"He handcuffed me?" she can't believe his nerve and frowns at him, where he's asleep in the chair next to the bed. Jahnzen pulls on the handcuffs, making more noise and watches as Hannibal jerks upright and looks around.

"Huh-wha-?" he scans the room quickly but everything is in place except for the violet eyes staring at him. He jerks back, slams into his seat with a sort of gasping-squak he is more than a little embarrassed came out of him. His pale skin gets a splash of color thanks to that. "Morning." He says and clears his throat. "Or is it afternoon?" his eyes immediately drop to his watch. He doesn't want to stare and he will if he doesn't distract himself but the violet glow of her eyes just confirms what the others have been telling him.

_'She aint normal.'_

"Evening."

His hair is mussed, more so than she remembered. He wipes his face- tired, before looking at her once more.

"You handcuffed me." She draws his attention to the cuffs, rattling the chain once more.

"Only until you woke up." King smiles charmingly, makes himself comfortable in the chair. She waits but he is obviously not going to unshackle her. "Wouldn't want you to run away." His eyes skip to the end of the bed and his mouth quirks up- he's amused. "Of course, you might need your shoes."

Her eyes skip to the blanket covering her legs and moves her foot. Sure enough she can wiggle her toes- no shoes. An inky eyebrow raised in question and the slight tilt of her head precede a simple; "Don't need to run."

"Well you can't jump out a window either." King huffs and motions with his arm to the room he realizes she can't see in the dark. He claps his hands, not as amused by the lazy device Chris installed to turn on the lights as he'd been at first.

_'Friggin Clapper.'_

Jahnzen winces at the brightness, a soft hiss of breath for the sting it's caused her. Her hand is pressed to her eyes for a moment and now King wonders if maybe bright fluorescent lights was smart.

"See?"

She looks around, takes in the white walls- no windows. She knows what he means and this time he's making sure there aren't any easy outs for her. She wonders why then shies away from thinking about his reasons. Jahnzen nods to the wall right in front of her.

"There's a door." She grabs the handcuff and pulls. The metal breaks off easily as he watches then she drops the pieces in his lap. He's trying to understand how that's even _possible_ when she flings the blanket off her legs and she hops off the bed. This time she's steadier on her legs than the time before. She doesn't fall and King is on his feet.

"Whoa, hey." He rounds the bed not sure if she'd take offence if he touched her so he gives her some space. "You're just going to leave after I rescued you?"

He's got all sorts of questions, starting with the sci-fi tech he found on her. The staticky…thingamagig- like some friggin _StarTrek_ hologram or cloak thing- hell.

It's just easier to think of than… that other… stuff….

Jahnzen isn't sure how to respond and grabs a boot. She feels better- not so groggy and pulls it on while King stands back and tries not to be obvious but the view is great. He finds himself staring- she's got a nice round ass and he's wondering how strong she is-

"Strong enough." Her answer is flat and King jerks his head from its slight tilt, inwardly cursing the lack of filter. Her tone is just a little harsh, likely on the defensive because of the questions-hell, she'd be curious too. He doesn't think too much past that.

"You know," he takes a step closer to her, where she grabs the vest/harness from the chair. "I still don't know your name…"

Jahnzen pauses, just a moment of hesitation and looks at him.

_'Hannibal.'_

It's just the two of them, alone in the bright room… She almost answers him, feels that same peace seep into her and that's all she wants. With him it would be so easy; leave the past there – forget them, forget what she's lost…

King holds her arm lightly, unaware of even touching her. Under the bright lights he can see her eyes are brown but even that isn't an apt description. They're much darker than that, more black- _'Mahogany.'_

Yeah, that's exactly it. He can sound corny in his own head, just keep the filter in place and he can say anything he wants up there…

_'Firefly's.'_

That's what came to mind and the copper flecks in her eyes just aren't a common sight. It's his hand lightly cupped around her face that has her pulling away. She grabs her belt and hastily backs up.

"Hey," King hurries after her as she opens the door. "Ahh." She's gone before he can stop her.

_'Why am I always chasing her?'_

She's following the voices echoing in the hall. As loud as they are it isn't too difficult to do. Jahnzen stops in front of an open door, hesitates. She's taken on vampires in their own nests, she isn't afraid of these three. They can't harm her, not really but they make her… nervous.

King catches up, hand on her shoulder and she's looking up at him. They both feel it and God he's sorry but this feels so _right_ it's scary. They're both afraid of getting close to the fire and getting burned but they're drawn to that warmth like moths. She doesn't want to acknowledge there is something there; she doesn't want to be afraid. They can't hurt her if there isn't anything to care for. Its better this way, better to be alone…safe.

He's staring into her eyes, both flush against each other and she isn't very tall- doesn't even reach his shoulder. She's glowing, the hall is dimly lit and she's glowing and how is that normal? It's not important, not when those firefly's draw him to her and King is so close he can feel the whisper of her breath slipping past her lips…

Jahnzen steps back, forces herself to move and it's like she's moving through molasses. She stumbles through the open door at her back, into the bright kitchen and blinks to adjust to the new lighting

_'I can't. I can't.'_

It's the same frantic thought, over and over in her head while she tries to calm herself.

**F**

Abby sits at the counter watching the kids make dinner. Chris is chopping vegetables as Andie stirs one pot and then another.

"I think this needs more pepper." She calls over her shoulder. Chris rolls his eyes at Abby as he moves to get the spice from the cupboard. Abby just smiles and tears another piece of bread apart on her plate. They've settled into a routine, some semblance of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal life. Her mind wanders into the past and the things she's come to regret. So much fighting, believing it was the right thing to do and now what? When it was supposed to be over… was it ever going to end?

"Hey…" Andie trails off, her slight frown focusing on Chris' line of sight.

It's _her_. The woman King brought back to HQ for some first aid. The same woman who left a serpentine shaped scar on Chris' palm –a Tatsu, because Chris remembered something from staring at it and got on-line to search. He tells Andie it's a water dragon.

Leave it to a guy to get all retarded over something a girl wouldn't think half way cool.

Abby looks up from the crumbs, immediately focuses on the woman just inside the kitchen and her hazel eyes go to the mountain of a shadow at her back.

_'King.'_

He steps in; the slightly confused expression quickly wiped off- pastes on a fake grin and looks around the kitchen. He acts like there's nothing wrong, like it's just another 'normal' dinner and Abby focuses on the woman, looks her over critically.

Long black hair- not exactly 'curly' but the gentle wave makes it seem to bounce with every move the woman makes. The glossy black strands shine with a bluish tint under the fluorescent lighting cascading down her back to reach past her hips. The woman's dark eyes are clearly visible now and Abby picks out the flecks of copper and gold in their depths. It's unusual and she remembers how they glowed… _'Not normal.'_

The woman certainly has striking features; finely shaped inky eyebrows, her nose tapers down just a little pert, high cheek bones lightly doused with freckles, full lips now a dusky rose color instead of deep red. Abby is envious of the healthy glow of this stranger's skin, not exactly a tan and has to admit the woman would draw any man's attention.

She's in black again; the vest open to reveal the tank and where it molds to her curves. Abby notices the weapons are in her possession once more only there's a piece missing. Her eyes flick lower to the leather pants, envious of the perfect fit realizing that hers don't fit half as well and wonders where she got them. Abby's staring at the belt loosely held in a small hand. She thinks of the other weapons King carted in along with the woman- the fancy bow; _'Of course she'd be an archer.'_ Abby almost rolls her eyes and finds herself staring at the woman.

Jahnzen doesn't break eye contact. She feels nervous- out of place- in their company. She looks at Abby, stares at her recognizing the expression in her eyes. She looks young enough to still pass off for a school girl-a very dedicated jock and she can't help but compare Abby to the female German athletes…

_'This is the 21st century.'_

It's a reminder and Jahnzen offers a slight nod acknowledging a fellow vigilante.

"So," King pipes up. "What's for dinner?"

Like there isn't some strange woman they know nothing about in their midst.

**F**

The table sits in silence, just the occasional clink of utensils as they eat. A wandering eye here and there but those are quickly re-focused on the plates and the food.

Their silence isn't complete. Jahnzen can still hear them- loud and very clear in what they don't verbalize.

_"…I hope she chokes on it…"_

_"This is good!"_

_"She's not even eating!"_

_"Why did he even bring her? Why is she still here?"_

_"Who is she?"_

_"Why doesn't anyone kick her out?"_

_"Fucking pyromaniac."_

_"Dad's got the hots for the pyro chic."_

_"…don't even know her name…"_

_"..Mom's dead…"_

_"…leave!"_

_"…burning buildings…"_

_"…disrupting our environment…"_

_"…dangerous."_

The fork in her hand glows, the metal softening. Jahnzen shoves away from the table, the deformed utensil left to cool beside her untouched plate. Her eyes are squeezed shut, trying to shut them all out-

"What the hell!" Andie snaps, one hand on her cup where the liquid has sloshed over.

"Andie."

"What?" she snaps at King, blue eyes narrowed. "She hasn't tasted it, how can she not like my food? Not that I care," she turns to the woman who's backed up to the counter. "She can leave any time. It's not like we need her burning down our building too."

"Andie…" Chris just stares at his plate unsuccessfully trying to hide his smile behind the napkin. It's the twinkle in his green eyes King knows too well and doesn't find appropriate. Chris grunts, turns a slight glare on his Father for the shin kick but keeps quiet.

"What's wrong with the food?" Abby questions sitting back in her chair. She's got both hands lightly resting on the table, much to King's relief.

"…loud…" her voice is soft though it carries quite clearly in the sudden silence. The utensil clatter onto plates, their echo is a thunderclap in the kitchen and King is trying hard to think of some way of keeping this from becoming a disaster.

"Excuse me?" Andie's tone does little to ease the tension.

Jahnzen ignores the question, her eyes find Hannibal. He found her in the ashes of the building, searched for her and she knows why, knows that he feels a connection to her…it scares her.

Abby glares at King. He's trying to swallow the mouthful of pasta, eyes glued to the woman like a drowning man seeking a cool drink-.

"How the fuck is this loud?" Abby demands getting to her feet, hazel eyes staring daggers at the woman King has been obsessing over. "No one has said a word since you came in."

King opens his mouth because he knows they aren't happy. His family has put up more than a few complaints; they've been extremely clear how much they _do not_ like him chasing after her. Abby doesn't let him get a word in.

"You don't bother with a 'thank you', you certainly don't appreciate the trouble you've put us through-."

"Whoa, one fucking minute there." King demands. "Us?" he stands up slowly, napkin tossed over his half-finished food and glares at her. "Sounds a lot like you helped."

Abby lets out a huff of breath; she doesn't want to argue with him over the same thing again-

"Funny, because I don't remember having any help." King looks at Andie who hasn't lost her glare. "Ooh, maybe that's because _no one_ helped." He says glaring at Chris though his step-son has kept uncharacteristically silent during the exchange.

"The FBI is looking for her!"

"And me!" King yells. His palms slam onto the table and the glassware rattles along with everything else. Andie flinches and there's a tiny sliver of guilt for having scared her. "You forget about that? You forget what they've accused me of?" because he hasn't, he can't forget and it seems pretty fucking convenient to just toss around the blame like it aint-

"Difference being we don't know squat about her." Abby retorts leaning over the table.

Jahnzen has enough, she can't stand the yelling, what they _don't_ say with words and she doesn't need any more of it, doesn't have to carry their guilt too. She avoids what the boy doesn't say, tries not to listen to his silence and is barraged by images of events too similar to her own past. She turns to leave; hand at her temple knowing the farther she gets from them the easier it will be not to listen.

"Hey!" Abby yells and is ignored. "I'm not done talking to you!"

"Jesus bloody _fucking CHRIST!_" King roars pushing off the table. He starts around and changes route to avoid Abby. As an afterthought he smacks the back Chris' head.

"Ow!" Chris exclaims, one hand rubbing at the blow. "What?" he questions, eyeing the now empty door. "What?" but the girls are silent.

How the hell did it end up being his fault?

"What?"

**F**

"Hey! Uh-." King stops as he catches up to her. _'Great. I'm back to 'hey you'. Fucking wonderful.'_

He knows what he sounds like, thinks she has to be thinking he's an idiot and runs a hand through his hair.

_'I need a haircut.'_ He notes with a grimace.

Jahnzen's eyes follow the motion thinking he really doesn't and wanting very much to run her fingers through the dark strands. She hadn't been a fan of longhaired men but, none had looked half so inviting as Hannibal-. She frowns at her thoughts and takes a step back. There is too much of him that can remind her of the past, too much they've both lost…

"Wait." King reaches out, takes hold of her arm and she flees. She's taking the stairs two at a time trying to get away from him and King can't help run after her. Something about her keeps him calm, makes the pain of what he's lost seem bearable. He wants that, _needs_ it and it had to be wrong. How can he forget them? How can he want someone so bad?

It just has to be wrong?

"Stop!" King grabs at her arm and she's facing him, back pressed against the wall trying to keep as far away as possible.

Jahnzen can feel the blood burning through her, tries to calm her racing heart.

"Sorry, I-."

She knows there's nothing for him to apologize for. He's done nothing wrong and wants to say that but she bites her tongue. They've reached the ground floor, there's an exit _right there_ and they both know it. It makes King nervous, knows she can walk out and it's very likely he'll never see her again. Hell, finding her this time had been a one in a million chance anyway…

"I…I don't know your name…"

She didn't choose to be this. No one would ever want to live this way.

_'I can't…'_

Because a second time… she can't survive that again. She isn't strong enough for that. They've taken it all away with ease- it was just too easy!

_'I'm so sorry.'_

But she can't tell him that.

She knows- feel his thoughts like a warm wind, so gentle... it's nothing like the others, their pain gnawing on old wounds full of guilt. It's part of this life, of what they do and while they can take comfort from each other Jahnzen won't allow herself the same relief. It's too easy, just something else they can use to hurt her.

It isn't fair.

Jahnzen knows exactly what hurts.

There's a softness to her expression as she looks up at him. King takes a step towards her, wants to get closer…

"Amy."

Her whisper feels like someone just scraped his insides with a spoon. It completely drowns all the nice feelings he'd been entertaining. All King thinks of now is what he's lost. He draws in a sharp breath, sees her wide eyed expression at the frothing rage and he has to take a step back.

Telepath.

_'She's a fucking telepath!'_

And just like that… it was so easy.

Jahnzen runs out, runs away…

"CHRISTIAN!" King's voice echoes through the building. "START PACKING!"

**F**

**Come on people! I know there were 21 of you reading this chapter and not one of you could give a review. What, you didn't like it?**

**And 'No', we did not kill off Blade. His absence here is none of our doing. Blade rode off into the night to hunt on his own.**

**REVIEW!**


	7. Gifts

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**AN: **You may have noticed that I changed her name, it's now Jahnzen and that's because I was getting my notes confused with another fic I was writing.**  
**

**

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**Chapter 7 :****Gifts**

**Move a little closer, hold me tighter,**

**I'll stay if you're gonna keep me in line,**

**I don't want it to be over…**

_The House of Erebus has twelve members and eleven tribes. Two identical female twin vampires hold two seats on the council; they belong to the tribe of Faustinas. These vampires can control minds, matter and the elements. You can only kill them by shoving a silver stake in their heart and then you have to take their head or they will come back stronger than they were before._

_I can't stress enough how careful you need to be, Lady Daphna. These aren't the kinds of vampires you want to upset on a lark. Make sure you are well armed and have someone at your side. This is when you need to have allies._

_Caring about others isn't a weakness. You've cared for us- my brother and I, we are still here._

_I know it isn't much- to acknowledge what you've done for us, for **our** family._

_I've enclosed something else I thought you might like. I am not as good as my ancestor but I've done my best to keep to his design. My craftsmanship is rather krappy by comparison._

_Put them to good use. Get a few for 'them'._

_I will keep watch here and report anything new. I won't expect a response, as usual, but if what I've seen in the news-what they're saying about a 'psychotic pyromaniac' is true then I know you are still well and fighting._

_Any new toys will be shipped to the same place. _

_What we do may not return what we have lost; we can't expect our pain to disappear… I would hope that time eases it to something bearable. I may not know firsthand what you carry so heavily- I wouldn't wish to… _

_Hasn't it been long enough?_

_Stay safe and keep the fires burning…_

_With love,_

_Dom Xie._

**F**

Jahnzen put the letter down.

_'Family.'_

There are many ways to have a family and while she's done her best to remain apart she can't deny them.

_'I am the last of my line.'_

The last of the Riven's…

She remembers when Dom was only a child. She remembers having both boys run about the grounds…

Xie was wrong about his family; they had searched for him. They followed his trail to Riven Manor. She had forced them to rest for a few days, assuring them Xie had been alive and well when he'd left her home. His daughter, pregnant at the time had cried for her Father as though he were already dead. Jahnzen had tried to comfort her, they'd become close friends, each lending the other a much needed ear to which they could complain or cry.

Now little Dom was a young man working for an important high tech corporation specializing in secret projects for the government.

"This one is for me."

Jahnzen is pleased with the titanium alloy cuffs. She can see where he has taken care to match the woven pattern on her buckle. She is sure no one else would notice the difference in technique or style. All she'd provided Dom was a sketch.

"Not krappy at all."

**F**

_She waits while he digs through the rubble that had once been a cozy little cottage at the far end of the garden. What remains is just half formed walls and a few beams that had been the front rooms. It's the first thing they see when they arrive and it' taken too long to reach the Manor as it is._

_"There is nothing here." He doesn't tell her about the pit he uncovered, doesn't mention the scorch marks on the stones. He doesn't say there is no way past the fallen wall into the rear of the cottage._

_"She must be here." Ling Liu won't leave until she is sure. "She has offered our family shelter." _

_He doesn't deny it._

_They head to the Manor but he makes them go slow, concerned for the baby she carries. _

_The door stands open and the closer they get the easier it is to see it's been torn from its hinges. They pause, not sure what to do but Ling Liu is determined. She enters with her husband, both shocked by the destruction in the foyer and it only continues the further into the Manor they proceed._

_Room after room is searched with Ling Liu doggedly at her husband's side no matter how many times he urges her to rest. She is concerned for her friend, by the lack of sounds… they reach the nursery and this is where Ling Liu hesitates. The torn paintings, broken porcelain- something terrible happened. Does she really want to see what is behind the closed door?_

_"Wait." He says and this time she obeys._

_The door creeks as he pushes it open, he has to because there is something in the way. Inside, the nursery is bathed in light from the windows where the curtains have been torn down. The room is mostly intact; some of the furniture still sits in place. There are toys scattered everywhere and bedding… _

_"Lady Riven?" he approaches the huddled figure he missed at first glance. His eyes follow the shift and sway of the figure, his eyes focusing on the scorch marks on the wall that outline the bedraggled figure. He jerks around at the sound of scraping and then Ling Liu stands at the door._

_"Wait!"_

_He blinks, tries to make sense of how he's come to lie on the floor. He feels the aches and slowly pushes off to sit. He shakes his head and then remembers; "Ling!"_

_"We are here." She responds and he finds her kneeling beside the bedraggled figure. His wife is well and she returns to the soft murmur he can barely make out._

_Ling Liu is singing…_

**F**

Allies.

That's what he said but she has none. She's spent too many years alone, too many years shut away from the world, only venturing forth to kill those…things. That is all she has allowed herself. The only other company- two others she has tried to keep out of danger.

_'Why are you here?'_

She's been sitting there for hours, just thinking…

It's quiet there, in the kiosk overlooking the north garden. The scent of snapdragons was light and a soft breeze set the vines to swaying. The fading sunlight cast a warm glow in the sky.

Allies.

_'Is this your purpose?'_

There's no one else, no other 'allies' and Jahnzen has little choice. She closes her eyes knowing full well she does this because of him, to see him.

The breeze skims over her, the tingling starts at her toes and fills her until she is numb. Everything spins slowly, gently and then she is above herself. She stares at the still figure sitting in the kiosk for a moment before turning to the forest. All at once the trees stand huge and the scent of wood and earth and leaves fills her nostrils.

The huge beast stills, shaggy fur matted and filthy. She sees him, always and never says a word. She lets him be and he watches as the wispy figure blows away.

She's on her journey now.

**F**

King tosses in his bed, covers tangling his legs as he turns once more.

_"Hannibal…"_

It's her voice.

King turns towards it, feels the warmth and blinks at the soft glow that lights his room. He clears his throat, a big hand rubbing across his eyes because she _can't_ be sitting at the foot of his bed-

_'I'm dreaming.'_

Of course, that makes sense. Because he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her. He can't get out of his head the fact she's a telepath, that she can see inside his head. He can't get over the fact she _knows_ about Amy, what the suckheads did and his failure to protect his family.

_"I'm sorry."_

She can sense his turmoil, the overwhelming emotions; guilt is predominant, anger, frustration…sorrow.

He frowns at her outstretched hand, the red sleeve of her dress and the tiny clusters of flowers woven in the silk… King isn't sure what the hell kind of dream he's having. He tilts his head, trying to figure this out and she smiles at him. A hesitant twist of her lips and King takes her hand. He's surprised by the feel of her warm skin, it's a dream…

Jahnzen stands.

King fumbles with his blankets, cursing at the tangled mess and finally gets to his feet. He hasn't let go of her hand-

_"What… the fuck?"_

The sun is rising behind her, haloing her in a golden glow. A breeze plays with her loose hair and it's just a little cool in his jammies. King stifles the shiver, looks around at what had been his room only it's not anymore.

Damn dream-scapes.

Right.

And, just great. King looks down and gets the reason his feet feel cold. The grass is wet with morning dew and lifting his foot notices the mud. So far it's not one of his best dreams, nothing at all like he'd imagined-

_"Uhm…" _

Brilliant, King.

_'Can't I sound cool in my own fucking dream?'_

She lets go of his hand, takes a step away and turns towards the sunrise. He sees the soft colors in the sky burn away and thinks this part isn't half bad. He wonders where the hell he's ever seen a sunrise like this one and can't remember. She looks at him, dark eyes sparkling with firefly's… He doesn't think, just raises a hand to caress her cheek.

_"You're beautiful."_ His voice is just above a whisper and he looks at her- brown eyes so clear there's no doubt of his sincerity. It's what he feels- a longing to hold her and be held. For just one moment of peace in a world of chaos and pain…

His thumb grazes the corner of her mouth and she looks away.

Jahnzen tries to ignore the sudden flutter in her stomach, her dry throat and takes another step away from him.

_"JD."_

_"What?" _

_"You can call me JD."_ She says and King can't help but think this is weird.

_"Isn't that a guy's name?"_ he asks, eyebrows raised. He closes the distance between them in one step and he likes it better when she's close like this.

_"My initials."_ She clarifies and thinks that as long as he keeps his hands to himself she won't find it so difficult to block his thoughts. She hasn't had much practice in that area, at least not for some years now.

_"Hmm, HK."_ He says with just the hint of sarcasm in his tone and turns to take in the view. _"My initials, but you know that." _They stand on a slight rise, just a hill. The grass is glittering in the early morning, the small drops of condensation shine like diamonds and in the distance he can make out the shape of something resembling a house.

_"I'd like your help."_ She sounds unsure, hesitates over what to say because he might choose not to help her. She wouldn't blame him for saying No. _"I don't know of anyone else who…"_ she makes a staking motion and he gets it.

King nods, gives a light shrug of his shoulders. Of course she wants his help!

_"Kills vampires with such precision?"_ he's slightly amused. _"Has a menacingly, spectacular, physique."_ And he preens, flexes his arms showing off rock hard muscles and grins.

Jahnzen finds herself wanting to laugh and does a little. He really believes she is nothing more than a dream. She hates to cut the light mood short but does.

_"You've heard of the House of Erebus."_

It's not a question and King is immediately serious. Nobody spent five years being a leech and never hears about the vampire tribes. It was mostly whispers- like some fucking urban legend but Drake just proves it was all for realsies.

_"The Faustinas tribe has a nest in San Diego, California."_

_'Man, this has gotta be one of the most fucked up dreams I've ever…'_

She's staring at him, firefly's dancing and he nods again, breathes a small sigh and looks at the scenery. He is sure this is all out of some picture, maybe a postcard or something he saw somewhere, someplace because he doesn't recognize anything. It's nice, he isn't complaining, just trying to make sense…

_"San Diego."_

Why? What the hell is in California? They finished with the Covens of DayStar morphed vamps…

_"This is some joke."_ He snorts. _"Shouldn't have eaten that cheese…"_ He mourns shaking his head because now he's dreaming up fictitious hunts. He's got-

_"JD."_ King tests the sound of that, looks at her and thinks 'why not?'. It's his fucking dream so why the hell is he wasting time on planning for vamps when she's standing right there?

Jahnzen draws in a sharp breath, feels his lips touch hers and is surprised by the gentle touch. She had expected him to be rough, a bit demanding…

King feels her hands curl on his chest. She feels so small in his arms- delicate. There's an overwhelming urge to protect her- fuck everything else, what does it all matter? Red silk slides under his palms and King's hand is tangled in her hair. He gently bites down on her lips; _"I've wanted to do that…"_

Now he has.

Those firefly's look up at him, lips slightly parted- he likes the flush of color in her cheeks and runs his thumb over the warm skin.

_"Wake up."_

King shakes his head. No way is he waking up _now_, when his dream is starting to get good-

_"You should wake up." _Reluctantly, Jahnzen pushes him away.

**F**

King's eyes snap open as he jerks up in bed. He can feel his ass hanging half off the narrow mattress and grabs for the sheets but he's tangled in them.

"Aah!" he flails, bangs his arm on the chair he's kept next to the bed- too goddamn close-and smacks the back of his head on the _metal_ cabinet he uses for a dresser. The rest of him hits the cold floor with a heavy thud. There's a string of profanities aimed at the bed and chair and dresser while he jerks the blanket and sheet until he's free. He sits back, ass still cold and rubs both hands down his face.

"Talk about wet dreams." He mutters.

It _felt_ real.

It's not like he hasn't had vivid dreams before because there's been a couple. This one… it just felt _more_…

"JD." King shakes his head, scratches at his scalp and exhales. "I named her."

Where the fuck did he come up with that?

"Fuck."

He isn't sitting on his ass, no; King is going to start on his 'therapy' because right now that's the only thing he can do. He is _not_ going back to sleep. He is _not_ going to think about _her_.

He's not.

"No fucking way." He vows heading down the stairs. "I'm not thinking about her."

He's got the wraps for his hands as he makes his way onto the mats. He does a half ass job on it but who the fuck cares anyway. His first punch is weak, the bag barely moves but the second sends it swaying.

One, two, jab, jab… over and over.

_'I'm not thinking about her.'_

She apologized.

"Fucking sorry." He grunts through clenched teeth. Like that was supposed to make everything okidokey, and why the fuck did King want an apology? What the hell was that going to do?

He makes her say 'I'm sorry' in a dream and then its ok to think about her, start wondering who she is, _what_ she is, _why-._

"Not thinking about her!"

The chain on the bag creaks, its heavy weight swings back his way and King's foot lands dead center.

He's been in a 'mood' the last few days, almost gives Chris a run for his money in that department. The kid's said he might be suffering from PMS.

King snorts.

Of course that meant there had to be a punishment.

His shoulders tense up and he knows he's being watched. The metallic echo of feet on the stairs is replaced by the concrete. He doesn't have to look to know who it is that's up this late.

_'Early. It's friggin morning now.'_ He realizes and rams his elbow into the bag.

"Get the fuck away." King takes a step back and delivers a side kick.

Abby ignores the snarled order and slowly walks the edge of the mats. She knows something is bothering him, knows him well enough to gauge his moods and this time it's not her fault.

_'Like it makes a difference.' _

They've managed to live three years so far. It hasn't gotten much better in that time, King still snaps at her, blames her for Zoey… there's a lot of anger in King.

She continues to watch him hit the bag, one vicious jab after another without rest. He's moving around and that means he's trying to figure something out. This isn't one of his 'hopeless' therapy sessions and that's a relief.

"King," Abby begins, head tilted as she watches him. "Wh-."

"NOW!" King's voice echoes, bounces off the concrete walls. He looks at her, brown eyes full of rage but that's nothing new. At least this time there isn't any hate.

Abby gives a slight nod, keeps her mouth shut because right now there's nothing he wants to hear out of her mouth. She takes a step back and it feels like a million. She doesn't know how to be his friend again, how to get back to how it was before…

_'Before I gave up Zoey.'_

She's tried so hard to make up for that, to explain herself and she's tired of waiting for him to forgive her. It had been rough; her Dad was dead, they'd lost Dex and Hedges- Sommerfield… Blade was gone.

It still didn't give Abby any right- but none of it means anything to King. It didn't mean much to Zoey either… Zoey who wanted to follow in her Mother's footsteps and help the NightStalkers take on the vampires.

_"You can't do both, Zo."_ _King says and the girl sighs heavily._

_"I know." She looks up at him and her eyes are bright with unshed tears. "I just wish…" _

_Wishes things weren't so fucked up. _

_"I can forgive." She tells him. She doesn't blame him for any of it, not her King... Zoey turns to Abby. "But I won't forget."_

_Abby can see the anger burning inside the young girl, she sees Sommerfield in Zoey, the same strength of her friend- Abby wants badly to say she's sorry, feels like she's said it too much already but it's not enough._

_'Nothing will ever be enough.'_

_King wraps a big arm around Zoey, draws her in for a hug and the little girl is lost- drawfed by the huge NightStalker. He can feel her slight hesitation before her thin arms slide around his back. She squeezes him, inhaling deeply as if she wants to remember everything about him. They know she won't be able to contact them. It won't be safe._

_Jake is there, stands at the door waiting patiently. _

_"I'll be fine." Zoey says into King's chest. He can't believe _she's_ trying to reassure _him_. _

_"Mom left me set for college." But they know that. Because Sommerfield had always planned on giving her daughter a chance out there._

_"I'll be fine…" she looks at him, holds back her tears as best she can. They know this is goodbye. She won't see them again until she is ready to give up whatever life she manages to make for herself._

_For her sake, King hopes Zoey never does. _

_'She deserves better than this.'_

_They watch her leave with Jake. Even when the door closes behind them King stands there, just staring._

Abby heads back upstairs, the sounds of King hitting the bag slowly fade but nothing they've said to each other ever does. _'Why can't he forgive me?'_

Because he hasn't. King doesn't let her forget.

**F**

King takes one more jab at the bag. He lets it swing and catches his breath, eyes glued to the mats. He thinks of Amy; beautiful Amy, honey colored eyes and black hair always smelling of lavender. Amy, eyes shiny with tears…

King grabs the bag and rests his head on it, eyes scrunched closed but it doesn't get rid of the images burned in his brain. Three years. It's been three years and he can still _see_ them! Cross is gone-just another dust pile but it hasn't made anything change- not what matters. They are all still dead.

_'My fault. Always my fault.'_

Blaming Abby for showing up at his door had been convenient, easy to just yell at her but _he _was there.

_"I'm sorry."_

King shoves the bag away, pummels it again but it doesn't get _her_ out of his head either. He's dreaming about her now, making her apologize for peeking in his head-

"JD." He's even given her a name! The back of his head pounds and he's thinking about the dream, about how real it felt, so much he'd swear he could smell her, taste her-

_'She's a fucking telepath!'_

He remembers how she'd looked at him. Those firefly's so bright, like she was sorry…

_'Fucking sorry.'_

He let her go. He didn't run after her- hell they left town because of her!

_'Amy.'_

King wants very much to keep her foremost in his mind. He has to, feels guilty for even giving the impression he feels their loss any less than he does.

_Liar, liar…_

It's been three years and he still carries around that bloody family portrait; rarely looks at it because he can't-

_Liar, liar, she's on fire…_

"JD." He's breathing hard, can't help wondering what they stand for…

"Dad!" Chris calls down. They're all up and about now. "You coming up or what?"

King shoves at the bag once more, lets it sway. He turns towards the stairs, pulling the wraps from his hands as he walks.

_'What the hell…'_

"Start packing!" King orders. He's fucking tired of the cold anyway.

"What? Where are we going?" Chris is surprised, no doubt the others are as well.

"San Diego." King answers. The bloody wraps flutter like streamers as he heads up to face the questions.

**F**


	8. Hello again

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

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**Chapter 8 :Hello Again**

**No time for lies and empty fights, I'm on your side.**

She waits in the shadows as the vampires make their way out of the building. There are only three, nothing she can't handle with silent ease.

_"Men do not realize we are dangerous."_

She's found that to have changed with time. Some lessons still hold true, lessons taught in a time when Jahnzen needed something else to focus on. Lessons imparted by an aging friend…

They have guards in the lobby, four and all of them vampires. It's the right building; the boys were right. She doesn't want them involved and yet as much as she tries, Jahnzen can't completely keep them out of the danger.

Dom is her eyes and ears, finds them for her… He does it because it's important, because he knows how much finding them matters to her. Both boys do their best to help her even when she orders them not to.

The vampires continue down the street. She's left behind the bow, carries only the Sai strapped to her thighs under the long coat. They near the car when she steps out of the shadows. The sound of her footsteps echo down the street. As one the trio look towards her and Jahnzen ignores them. She sets a normal pace, not too rushed but quick enough to draw them away from the car.

_"Men are too sure of their superiority."_

And that is one lesson imparted by Ling Liu that has not changed with time. It doesn't matter- alive or dead, men are still men. The vampires fall in step behind her and she spares a quick glance over her shoulder. One of them smiles.

_'Cocky bastard.'_ She thinks but that's exactly what she wants.

This close to the ocean the early morning is cool, more so than she had expected. Her black coat is lined in a jade patterned silk. The silver clasps are shaped as Tatsu- water dragons; one on each sleeve and three lining the front.

"Hey baby," one of them calls out. "Aren't you out a little late?" they snicker, like it's the funniest thing ever. Jahnzen ignores them, eyes focused on the alley just ahead.

One of them grabs at her, Jahnzen turns. She shoves at him, trying to back away and he bares the fangs. Her eyes go wide and she backs up as the vampire lets her go. All three of them wear grins, flashing their fangs.

The one in the center raises his hand to skim a sharp nail over her cheek. She slaps his hand away, glaring at him.

"What-." The vampires eyes flash. "Bitch, do you know who I am?" he demands of her, gets in her face and Jahnzen stands her ground. One hand slips under the coat, takes hold of the stake.

"Doesn't matter." Because they'll all be piles of ash.

One of them laughs, nudges the other. "She's a feisty one, huh?"

"Bet she screams." They both watch the leader, the vampire with the attitude.

"It matters to me." He snarls. His hand is around her throat. The vampire shoves her back and she goes without protest.

She has them in the alley, just as planned. She grabs his wrist, reinforces the notion that he's got the upper hand. As soon as the street lights are out of sight Jahnzen tightens her grip. Silver flashes in the dark alley and the vampire is surprised to find the stake protruding from his chest.

He isn't turning into a pile of ash. She's not happy about that and twists his wrist until she can hear cartilage breaking.

He screams. Jahnzen steps back, both Sai in her hands and the vampires head falls from his shoulders. The other two haven't moved. They stand slack jawed and she smiles.

"Scream."

**F**

It had been a week since his dream. One week since 'JD' made her apology. A week full of questions as to why they were making the long trek to California. They'd dealt with the mutated covens and all King would say… well, he didn't. Everyone had packed up that same day. King was driving so what the hell could they do? He had a hard time keeping his anger in check. Now that they were in San Diego he wasn't going to sit on his ass and wait for a second dream to tell him where to start looking.

_'Contacts.'_

Yup, and Pierce was pretty good. As King drives towards the Coven his dream JD has sent him to he thinks of Dudley-Do-Right and his 'help'. It seems to come in handy but he isn't sure how long this 'truce' is going to last. Jake knows King didn't kill his family, he knows the truth about vampires and yet there isn't much FBI man can do to clear them. As in Not a Damn Thing.

He turns down the alley and cuts the lights. He's only a block from the Coven and all he wants is to get a looksee of the damn place. You know? Just to see what the hell he's dreaming up more covens for-

"What the fuck?" he leans into the steering wheel squinting out of the windshield. There is no mistaking the signs of a vampire going up in ash. The only acceptable form for a vampire. He lets the truck roll up faster, finally making out the small figure in black weaving between two others.

_'It's her.'_

He just knows it is and the way she's moving- it's how Andie, Chris and Abby described her that first night.

The truck slows and he watches her toy with the last two vampires. She doesn't need help and one of the suckheads is trying to pick himself up off the ground. She has the other one pinned to the wall, her face way too close to those bared fangs. Of course the leech takes a snap at her.

King guns the engine but she's faster than his SUV. The vampire is taken care of and the bright flash of blue precedes her roundhouse kick. The vampire that just picked itself up finds himself on the ground yet again. She isn't letting him up, plants her foot on its chest and keeps it flat.

King watches her bend over the vampire, she's asking it something. For answer the vampire rakes its hand narrowly missing he face. She backs up and the vampire shoves her off. He's on his feet lunging towards her and JD ducks under. She comes up behind it and kicks. The vampire hits the brick wall hard enough King sees bits of the brick crumble. When he stumbles back JD has those wicked looking knives in hand. The vampire loses an arm and JD has him in hand again.

King can hear the vampire now; can see she's asking it something. She isn't getting anywhere and the vampire slams his head on her face. JD backs up; she slashes at it getting a long bright red reward. The next swing takes its head and there's nothing left in the alley but her.

"Fuck me." King breathes as he flashes the lights.

Jahnzen turns, hands gripping her Sai, ready for another fight. The SUV rolls up beside her, the window down and she's glad to see Hannibal.

"Get in."

His tone is not friendly, he knows that and he isn't about to apologize-

_'Fucking sorry…'_

King starts to wonder if it was just a dream or if there's something else going on- like maybe _she_ had something to do with that … visit.

Jahnzen stands in the alley, looks over the black metal beast on wheels and draws in a shallow breath. Cars make her nervous, she doesn't like them but she has to get in and knows that.

King sits behind the wheel, spares her a second glance and huffs in annoyance. She's just standing there. King leans across the seat and opens the door. She still has the Sai in hand but those get put away. Jahnzen takes hold of the door knowing there are other ways of getting around. Still, she slides in and before the door is closed he's already driving out of the alley.

"Seatbelt." King orders. He won't look at her, stubbornly keeps his eyes on the road but he wants to. He isn't sure if 'JD' is looking through his head for any more info but that thought just pisses him off.

"Pardon?" Jahnzen questions. She sounds a little breathless and King looks over to see she's got a death grip on the door handle.

Too fast. They are going too fast and the sensation is disorienting. She closes her eyes but that doesn't help at all.

"Whatsa matter?" King questions. "You scared?" because she looks pale and the door now has the imprint of her fingers gouged in.

"No." her quick response sounds false even to her ears.

"Sure." King snorts, eyes once more on the street. "The seatbelt's gonna keep you from flying out the windshield." He says and he knows it's just a little mean but he really doesn't care.

_'She's a fucking telepath.'_

"Aah…" Jahnzen furtively looks around, searching for this seatbelt and then sees him pluck at the strap crossing his torso. She obediently reaches for the one on her side and checks him again. "I don't like cars." That much is true. She remembers the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost of 1906- its till there, at the Manor… She remembers the Curved Dash Oldsmobile, remembers its max speed was just above a canter and that's not at all what these modern cars-

"Well," King drawls, tone heavy with sarcasm. "You can fly. Flames and all."

"There are other ways to travel." Jahnzen replies and wishes flying were an option right now but she's not sure he would appreciate the change in transportation. Hell, Jahnzen isn't sure she's able to- without burning him up.

Neither of them speaks for the rest of the ride to the new HQ. Jahnzen's a little relieved, she doesn't have to give any explanations yet. King tries not to think, figures that should make it harder to look in his head; can't get anything if there isn't anything there- uuh, something like that.

King is more than a little relieved when the abandoned building they've claimed comes into sight. He drives around to the gate and heads into the cracked parking lot. They go bumpety-bump over the potholes then pull into a garage. Her sigh is soft but clearly relieved and King hears it. He's taken out his anger on the streets, driving like a maniac…

They sit in the car a moment then King turns to face her. She's a little pale, she blinks and those mahogany eyes he can't put out of his head almost have him speechless- he raises a finger.

"Rule No.1."

No fucking way is he agreeing to anything without some ground rules.

"No mind reading."

Jahnzen almost apologizes again, wants to tell him she didn't mean to hurt him-

"No." King watches as JD closes her mouth. An inky eyebrow is raised in question and her full lips thin just a little with displeasure but he really doesn't fucking give a shit if she's pissed or not. _He's_ not the one snooping through other people's minds. Because, apparently his dream hadn't been _just_ a dream and now he's wondering what the fuck else JD can do.

"Rule No.2" King pauses, thinks but right then he's got nothing. He feels the rush of blood suffuse his face and scowls. Just when he needs some smart ass comment to save face with he has nothing. All he can manage is a lame; "I'll let you know."

Jahnzen watches him get out of the car. He's angry but can she blame him? She's invaded his privacy twice now- she looks to the sky, at the moon shining down and wants badly to leave.

Allies…

King walks towards the door but he doesn't hear JD and looks over his shoulder to find her still sitting in the SUV. He pauses, glaring at her but she isn't looking his way. Without thinking he's already walking back to the SUV, goes around and opens her door and stands there. Those firefly's are back and he's cursing himself for being a pussy- hell, he doesn't even open doors for Abby! The woman has saved his life more than once- took more than that from him- you'd think she'd get some sort of consideration but Hannibal King did not play the gentleman.

_'Right.'_

Jahnzen can't hold his gaze and gets out. They head towards the door together; his long strides slow to accommodate her pace. She's nervous as he holds the door open for her and waits. He lets her walk in first; she turns and looks up at him

"I'm sorry. I was nervous." She says and he knows exactly what she's talking about. It's there, in her expression. The fact she's seen it all, his pain, the suffering…the happiness. It makes what she did so much worse, she knows that and there's no excuse.

King can feel himself soften towards her, fingers twitching-wanting to touch her face. The sound of her voice- gentle, like a caress. He can physically remember kissing her, the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her lips-

"Rule No.2" King glares, catches himself before he can do something stupid. "No mind tricks." He orders harshly and she's looking at him confused.

"I don't…" understand, because she doesn't.

"Up here!" King jabs a finger towards his temple. Right then he looks very menacing, a man not to be crossed and she gives him some space. He's violent, they both know that but even so her look is more confused than frightened and that pisses him off worse than if she's looking through his head.

King takes a step towards her, towering over JD and glares.

"I can _see_ you, _feel_ you- I swear I can smell your hair and fucking _taste_ you!" his voice rises in pitch but remains just as rough. "So don't _fucking_ tell me you don't-." King pulls himself short. He has her pressed against the wall and she's staring at him, mahogany eyes so calm and those damn firefly's sparking in their depths.

He steps back, exhales, frustrated.

What can she be thinking of him now? Seeing him behave like this, like…

_'What the fuck is wrong with me?'_ he wonders. He shouldn't care about her feelings, what she thinks of him or any of them for that matter. She's asked him for help. That's all he should be thinking about and now that she's here they could get the job done and the NightStalkers can move on to the next hunt.

**F**

**_AN: I'm adding a new chapter to this fic. I realized my poor pooch never got a proper introduction so now he will, a brief chapter all to himself. It's the new Chapter 11._**


	9. Faustinas

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**AN: **I was not happy with my end of things and that's why I re-wrote this chapter. It still contains the lines from WhatTheF.**  
**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9 :****Faustinas**

**I should've turned back, I should've known better, than to walk away defeated.**

"The House of Erebus has eleven tribes and twelve seats. Two of those are held by the Faustinas' identical female twins." Jahnzen explains while the NightStalkers listen from their respective seats, sprawled in the large space. "The only way to kill a Faustinas is to stake it in the heart with silver and take its head."

"Why?"

Jahnzen turns to the green eyed boy. She sees him rub on his palm again and feels a little guilty for that. She hadn't expected-

"You'll die." She says flatly. "The Faustinas vampires can control minds, matter, the elements. If you don't kill them properly they return stronger than before. As it is some are already harder to kill." She adds in an undertone they can't ignore.

"Yeah," Andie hufs. "Thanks to DayStar." She mutters from her overstuffed armchair. She glowers at Jahnzen, arms crossed.

"DayStar?" Jahnzen questions. They tense when she takes a step towards Andie but no one reaches for a gun. Its progress and after the initial uproar King has managed to get them to shut up and listen first.

"It was a biological weapon." Abby straightens from her slight reclining pose on the beam. "Created to wipe out the vampires for once." She glances at King. "For a while we thought they were gone, that they'd all died." Abby faces Jahnzen once more, hazel eyes hard. "We were wrong."

"Now they prance around in the day." Chris adds. He stretches his long legs out in front of him thinking of the past three years and how differently his life has turned out. He's twenty. He hunts vampires when he should've been attending college classes, playing football and hanging with friends… It all seems so unreal.

"They walk in the sun…" Jahnzen stares at him, this boy slightly sulking, longing for a simpler life. "Because of this…this weapon?" she doesn't understand, what they tell her, what they are saying is…

"Not all of them." Chris says. "Others read minds." He glances at Andie surreptitiously. They all remember Salem, the vampires there and the fucked up shit each NightStalker was hiding. Things they weren't proud of…

King hasn't taken his eyes off JD, can't and sees exactly when her temper flares. He doesn't get it but he knows-

"You did this?" she questions softly. "You!" her tone rises, accusing them. "You gave those things what they've kille-!"

She's trembling with rage. Everything, all of it, the things done to her and her family, all of it had been for nothing. They died for nothing?

_'My son…'_ Jahnzen can see him once more, his tears and the little hand reaching out for her, crying for help. She's suffocating with it, rage so deep there's only one place to go, one place she can vent.

"JD!" King yells as she runs out.

"What the hell is her problem?" Andie questions slowly getting up from her chair.

"I thought she wanted help." Abby says to King's back. "King!"

"What?" he snaps, glares at her over his shoulder and doesn't slow down.

"Where are you going?" Abby demands. It's like she can't help herself and all she's doing is pissing him off.

"Not sure, but I got a pretty good idea." King replies. He walks out of HQ, runs past the SUV calling after her and all he can make out is the spark already fading in the distance. "Fuck! She did it again."

**F  
**

Why do I always find myself running after this woman?

After a while, you would think I'd get the hint but No, here I am. Ever the masochist.

I stopped caring about speed limits a long time ago. I just get where I need to go as fast as I can. When I reach the fancy mansion on the hill I speed past the open- yeah I said open- gate and up the drive then slam on the e-brake and skid to a halt. I'm expecting every vampire inside to come out and jump me.

But, much to my surprise the vampires aren't paying me any attention. They seem to be fixated on one thing: getting away from the house. Somehow, in the pit of my stomach I know its JD they're all running from. And here I am, busting my ass to save her when I damn well know that she doesn't need me to.

The human mind is some fucking wonder, ain't it?

I weave past the scrambling vampires, gun ready just in case but they scoot on by. A young vamp whizzed past, screaming at the top of his voice; "She's real! She's real!"

I grab him by the collar and yank him to eye level.

"Who?"

"The Fury! The bitch is fucking real!"

Ooo-kay, huh.

"Such fucking language you fucking punk." That's when I shoot the fucker in the chest. Much to my surprise, he just looks at me like I spit on his fucking shoes. That's when I remember what JD said. I'm thinking up my next move and loose the grip on his shirt. The leech skitters away.

Not important.

The important thing is to find her.

**F  
**

She burns everything in sight, there is nothing left in her wake, nothing but flames and ashes. Vampires flee and are caught up in dancing waves of fire. The marble floor grows hot, paint bubbles off the walls and glass melts everywhere. She's following the vampire up stairs, can see it turn into the large conference room and hears the bolt click on the heavy wooden doors. Her full lips turn up but the smile is not warm.

The huge double doors burst in flames, they implode, floating embers glow as she walks in.

"Faustinas." She reaches a hand to the cowering vampire; he flails but can't stop the invisible force that slams him into the wall. He cowers from the heat flowing off her.

"No! No!" he screeches, high pitched and very effeminate.

"No?" she questions and pauses in the center of the ostentatious room. "You didn't listen when my son cried out. When I begged for his life…"

No, they had laughed at her. They had toyed with him, frightening him…

"Anything you want!" he pleads because nothing in the softly spoken words was soothing. "I'll give you money." He tries to scramble around her, as if he's going to fetch the piles of cash for her right away.

She grabs his arm, burns right through its clothes to the skin and past it to muscle and tissue while he screams in agony. He's more like a rabid animal, clawing at her to get loose and she flings him away. He's curled up under the window, blood tears streak his face and the fangs in perfect view.

This is a pureblood. A very young one at that and obviously sheltered…

"Can you give back what you took?" she questions striding towards him. He can see the waves of heat flow around her; see the hot breeze playing with her hair. He flinches away from her, stares at the copper and gold eyes- liquid fire.

The vampire scrambles back but there isn't anywhere to go. He's sweating profusely and cursing the half-breeds for running off like cowards. It's his own fault, for wanting to be on his own and prove he is old enough to have some say in their future.

"No." she answers for it. "You can't."

Her finger touches the clammy forehead rewarded with instant screams from the vampire.

**F  
**

Follow the flames.

Quite simple, really.

That's how I'll always be able to find her.

Just follow the flames…

My speed reduces to a slight jog from the head on dash of madness as I realize that she _doesn't _need my help. That, if anything, I'm likely just going to piss her off.

But that doesn't stop me from going into the room I can hear screams pouring from. Looking back… how I wish I wouldn't have though.

When I come into the room it almost hurts to look at her. The way it hurts to look at asphalt on a hot day in summer. But that's not what I'm looking _at_. I'm staring at what _she is doing…_

Now, don't get me wrong. Vampire killing, hey I am all for it. Hell, I've been known to torture a few myself. But… _Je-sus fuck!_

He's screaming.

That's all he can do; scream and watch his skin melt off- it was boiling on the muscle tissue, crispy charred and crumbling off the bone. I've got the unmistakable taste of bile in my mouth. I need to hurl- nope, not now and not here. I force myself not to pay it any mind.

I have to stop this.

Again, looking back, I shouldn't have done that. But I just want her to stop. I yell, I think, I'm not sure and then I'm reaching for her, grab her arm…

I just grabbed the handle of the pot on the fire.

Reflex. It kicks in and I recoil, brace myself before peeking at my hand because it's gone- I just know it is, either that or the skin is boiling-

Amazingly, I don't feel any pain. Much like when someone gets cut with a scalpel- don't ask- it hurts so bad they can't even feel it… Or so I'm thinking.

I look down…and see nothing but my normal calloused hand that's always been there.

I slowly bring up my gaze to hers-

Just one more thing I'm not likely to ever forget as long as I live.

**F  
**

"You and those children!" JD screams. "That woman!" she's crying, tears drying on her skin. "You're all responsible! You're the reason they have what they want!"

It isn't fair to blame them. The NightStalkers tried to come up with a solution, did their best to wipe out the vampires once and for all- good intentions…

Jahnzen flings the huge table across the room. King stays a healthy distance, watches the table break and the wall has a brand new window.

The mansion is burning. There's clouds of black smoke obstructing their view and yet King isn't choking. He notices again how the smoke and the flames billow and part around her, how there's always a safe distance from him and the fire anywhere he stands in the room.

She's venting.

Destroying the things they value, what they display in all their fancy properties.

It's her 'therapy' session and King wouldn't normally interrupt anyone venting- hell he doesn't want to interrupt _her_ either but does. The fire is going to draw attention and King can't afford to show his face, not if he plans to stay out of a cell.

"Don't!" JD pulls away from him, she's angry but there's also the slight fear she'll hurt him if he's too close and she doesn't want him near. She can't have him, can't allow herself to forget why she's hunting the vampires.

JD's hand goes through the melting glass. She's hurt, fist bleeding and scorched.

"Shit!" King grabs at her, doesn't let go. "What the hell are you doing?" he demands though he doesn't expect an answer. He reaches to his back pocket for the bandana and wraps it around her hand wincing as he does but JD makes no sound. "Come on."

She goes meekly, the fights gone out of her; "Doesn't matter."

None of it does.

Nothing will change this, what she is and what's been done.

Nothing is going to bring them back…

"Dead, they're dead…" she mumbles and King spares her a confused look before he hefts her in his arms and hurries down the stairs and into the cool night.

He breathes in relief, loves the fresh air flowing into his lungs and drying the beads of sweat on his face. She's still warm, uncomfortably so and King puts her in the SUV. He buckles her in but JD doesn't seem to take any notice of him. He cups her face in his palm, searches her face but her stare is blank-

"…empty…staring…"

It's a bit creepy, that mumbling of hers but he recognizes the pain in her voice. She's lost in her memories, another tear rolling down her cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb.

"It's alright, sweetheart." King assures because right now he can't be angry. Right now she's dealing with her grief and loss and maybe it's a recent event- King doesn't know but he can empathize.

He gets in, speeds down the drive, takes the winding road out of the hills in the opposite direction from the flashing red and blue lights and the sirens. The fire JD started fades in his rearview mirror but her mutterings don't stop. She's still crying, fresh tears on her cheeks but the firefly's are dim now- her eyes aren't swirling like molten gold…

King steals surreptitious glances at her, has an overwhelming need to know just what she's thinking and opens his mouth to ask… and doesn't.

She won't tell him.

Not yet.

**F**

**This chapter was co-written by WHATtheF so tell us if you like it. We reaalllyyyy wanna know. HEy! Everybody likes to get props and after we pat ourselves on the back on job well done and sometimes we wanna have someone _else_ give us a pat on the back too.**

**Thanks SplitEnz for the review!**


	10. Disclosure

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **Hannibal King, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**AN: **One more re-write and plenty more to come.**  
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**Chapter 10 : Disclosure**

**_Can't we live a life of peace and happiness? No denying I'm scared to lose the things I love._******

She wakes from her dream, tired… She can never save them- no matter how many times it plays out in her head, how many dreams…

Save.

What a stupid word.

Everything that happened that night ninety-eight years ago when it all changed means nothing. _They_ have negated everything- her suffering, the guilt and pain, their deaths… they have no meaning now. What did they both die for?

Daystar.

That's what they call this.

She turns her head seeing the early morning light shine through the only window. It doesn't matter; door, window- they can't hold her.

Dark eyes scan the room to find it sparsely furnished. This- everywhere, its all a far cry from where she comes from, the life she once had. There's nothing fancy about how she lives, all the finery and grandeur of the Manor is gone…

She's not chained. She notices that right away and is disappointed to find _he_ isn't there.

Yes.

Jahnzen expected to him to be there, just as he'd been there the last time, sitting by her bedside when she woke up.

What is it about Hannibal that makes her feel like this?

He's … well, she doesn't let herself put words to what Hannibal can be for her. Not now, not until she's had her vengeance.

She angrily rips the bandage from her hand. The skin has healed, looks as though she'd never put her hand through the melting glass.

But she did…

"They'll pay. All of them. They will pay."

**F**

Jahnzen walks down the hallway, once more dressed and the long coat is open. Bright swatches of jade silk are visible with every one of her steps. Their voices clearly echo down the hall as she slows to listen- they're arguing.

Again.

She stands in the doorway observing them.

"I told you once King." Abby, green eyes dark with anger. "I don't like her."

"Not every outsider is here to bring our whole operation down, Abby." King is passively condescending, just a bit of a change from the sarcasm and anger.

"How do you know she won't wake up one morning and decide to flambé us all?" Andie's raised eyebrow and crossed arms are no difference from any other argument King's had with his little family.

"Dad." Chris has an oddly diplomatic tone. "All we're saying is that you don't now her, but you know us. And we're getting some weird vibes."

It doesn't escape King, nor does Andie take her eyes from the sight of the pale pink scar Chris can't stop from rubbing. He does it unconsciously, that mark this stranger King keeps bringing around left Chris with that very first _unforgettable _encounter.

"What is this? A fucking debate?" he demands, turns in a circle to find them all around. Each one of them either glaring, angry, with crossed arms or just plain worried and confused. King is confused too and a bit concerned so he gets it. He understands what they're saying and a lot of what they don't but… "Did you all stay up last night and put together a fucking packet?" his voice gets increasingly louder. He puts a hand to his forehead and lets it drop to his chin, brown eyes on this little family of his. "I say she stays."

Chris just throws his hands up. Abby glares and Andie drops her crossed arms.

"Bang the gavel. Court dismissed."

"Who made you judge and jury, Hannibal King?" Abby demands, green eyes narrowed and it's like she's daring him to say the wrong thing.

"I did."

King doesn't disappoint. His tone is final, daring _her_ to disagree.

Abby just throws her hands up, mimicking Chris and mutters; "We don't even know _what_ she is."

"Well," King slowly crosses his arms, there's a table behind him and he leans on it, brow slightly furrowed. "She's a….Fury."

He says it though it's the tentative tone of voice that has his family looking at him like maybe he's been hit in the head one too many times.

"The hell is a Fury?" Chris wonders, his brow furrowed, green eyes on Andie.

"Didn't see any feathers." She mumbles, thumb rubbing across her chin and then Chris is caught by the soft lips pouting just a bit while she thinks. "Sure as hell has the temperament." She adds remembering some Mythology from English Lit. class.

"What the hell are you talking about over there? Fucking feathers?" Chris wonders, another wrinkle marring his brow. "Are you talking about fucking peacocks?"

"Didn't you pay attention in English?" Andie frowns, just a little annoyed though she rolls those ice blue eyes towards the ceiling.

Abby finally becomes frustrated with the whole thing. She's not going to stand around debating _what_ their unwanted guest is when what she wants is to get her gone.

"Look, I don't care-."

"No one asked!" King yells. The loud sound of his voice puts a pause to the 'discussion'.

Jahnzen isn't sure why- maybe it's just that she's tired, maybe its anger or just because she's hurt, beyond disappointed. They don't mean anything to her. She knows _nothing_ about them and yet she can't ignore Dom's letter.

_'Allies.'_

Why should she care if they argue like children among themselves? Their squabbles have nothing to do with her, all she provides is an excuse, something else they can yell about so they don't have to talk about the real problems they'd rather ignore.

And still…

_"Stop."_

This time there is silence. Absolute. Her voice is soft as a floating feather in their minds and the quiet is good, it's nice… It's also short.

Abby's eyes widen- surprised though anger is quick and her eyes narrow dangerously.

"Don't you _fucking get into my head!_"

"Whistler!" King grabs her bicep, stops her from taking another step towards JD and yanks her back. "Not a good idea if you don't want your skin extra crispy." He quips, attempting to diffuse her temper.

Jahnzen spares them a glance, those mahogany eyes moving past them to scan the room and finds it sparsely furnished as well. Everything is serviceable, just the bare necessities and that's all they need for the life they lead.

Chris rubs his palm absently. She notices and feels just a bit remorseful for that, for hurting the boy and then she remembers what they've done.

Daystar.

"Who are you?"

Those fireflies shimmer in the dark depths of her eyes as she looks at Chris. Silence stretches, neither of them sure of getting an answer.

"Fury."

**F**

They sit around the living area, each of them staring at her while she tries to calm their voices in her head. It's not as difficult this time around, though she glances curiously at the boy. He wonders if she'd show him her feathers.

_'Feathers?'_

Jahnzen understands when she gets the mental image of a half naked woman covered in feathers and flapping large wings.

"Not a furie." The slightly amused expression lights her face and the red lips slightly tilt upwards. Its short lived but King notices, he sees a lot more than he should and that doesn't go un-noticed by JD.

"I'm not some mythological figure made up by the Greeks. I don't have feathers." She sighs, knows there are some things she'll have to reveal in order to get what she wants from them. She starts slowly, hesitant and her eyes flick towards Hannibal where he's sitting in the armchair.

"My-." She stops to draw a breath. "Slade."

She hasn't spoken his name in years, not since Ling Liu managed to get a recounting of that night. It's not any easier this time around for Jahnzen.

"He was a scientist. More than the doctor his Mother wanted him to be." She sighs, cant help feeling the disappointment- because she was blind to him, to what he really wanted from her. "He wanted to find a cure for the sleeping sickness. Others called it the Spanish flu but he wasn't satisfied with that. He wanted a cure to end all plagues."

While Jahnzen remembers the excitement, remembers Slade telling her about his discoveries the NightStalkers focus on what she's just said.

"Spanish flu?" the electric blue eyes narrow suspiciously. "As in _1918_ Spanish flu?"

"Whoa, but you're- uh, you don't look…" Chris trails off slightly embarrassed by the looks he's getting from Abby and King and avoids Andie.

"You're not like us." Abby states. "You're different. How? Why?"

Too many questions and Jahnzen turns to Hannibal who sits silent though his thoughts are clear. He's curious, absolutely intrigued and he wants answers, to know more about her. Mahogany eyes turn to the door and she almost stands up. What is she doing there anyway? Why not leave before she got involved with them further?

She can see Hannibal stand up, maybe he thinks to stop her and maybe Jahnzen wants him to. Everything is changing, she can feel it and her pain isn't the same when he is near. Jahnzen frowns, eyes on the floor and scoots back in her seat.

"My family is from Italy, a small province not far from the coast. I was born there- June 12th 1886." It's more than she wanted to tell them, more than she should say. "Slade… found more than he said. More than I could imagine…"

"What?" Andie sits forward in her seat, long curly hair entwined in one hand while those electric blue eyes rest on JD not once looking up from the floor.

"Me."

"You?" Abby doesn't believe her, doesn't like her- doesn't _know_ her. They think she's dangerous, maybe has a few screws loose and yet Abby's the one hunting with ear plugs… huh.

"What I am." She's not being more specific, not used to explaining herself and begins to resent saying anything at all to them. Who she is, how she came to be- it's not a happy story, not _their_ story so they have no right to demand.

"Which is what?" because Abby isn't giving up. Her dislike for JD is clearly painted on her face though even she isn't entirely sure why. They think JD's dangerous and they're right about that. Vampires fear her, fear the Fury and that is good. But, people…well, this only confirms her place in the grand scheme of things.

Take away the anger, her 'purpose' and what was left? She's not human anymore, how can she be after everything she's done, with everything she can _do_?

And King….

_'1886?'_

You know…. Hell, this is right up his alley. Seems he always manages to find, uhm… the_ special_ sort of woman to get involved with.

_'Why do I even try?'_

Because really, aside from the fires she keeps on making and this slightly cuckoo tendency to phase out, JD is at the top of the bunch. Hands down, she'd beat them all out…

"The cure." Jahnzen ignores the questions, their curious looks and especially avoids looking anywhere near Hannibal. "It was supposed to make us stronger, make our immune system better able to fight off diseases, better able to resist any toxins in the air, water or food."

She understands about experiments, she knows very well about scientist and their experiments. Jahnzen spares a quick glance at Hannibal. She hopes maybe he'll understand… and just as quickly pushes that thought aside. How can _any_ of them understand when what she's saying happened before their time?

"We were at war."

King's expression is unreadable and the silence from his side of the room is disconcerting.

"No kidding?" Andie snorts. "So what? This is a fucking party? Why didn't anyone tell me?" she waves her hand meaning all four of them. JD gets the sarcasm, gets they really don't understand where she's heading and what she's been doing. They know she isn't like any of them and yet they don't grasps how much different she truly is.

"No, it was a different war." Jahnzen stands. "The kind only governments can start and finish." Because that's what Slade had been a part of. It's who had started this whole thing and behind them is the Council.

She's tired of this, of the talking, of them and their stupid questions because all they want is to be left alone to sulk.

Dom says she needs them and Jahnzen still doesn't see how or why-

_'She's gonna run again.'_

He's tired too and yet King moves towards the exit, ready once more to chase her down if he has to and he's not even thinking about _why._ But _he's_ why she doesn't walk out, because she can hear the weariness…and instead of heading down that line of thought Jahnzen turns to the 'children', Abby included.

"He had help with the cure. He was afraid to test it on…he-." She has trouble admitting how far Slade was capable of going. He was hers even if all Slade wanted was her money and foolish as that is, crazy as it might be…Jahnzen had loved him. "The animals died."

Every last one and there was always an explanation for the carcasses, something she could accept and not question. She turned a blind eye to what he did, to what she suspected and she's paid for that.

"None of them were able to assimilate the changes in their DNA required." She turns away, doesn't admit she knew of the human test subjects. It's because of them Jahnzen had finally confronted him; at least she'd thought they were human… "_They_ came."

And everything changed.

"They offered him more funding for his research. I didn't know they weren't…human."

Everything changed, Slade didn't care about a cure, not really and the Council bought him too easily. They offered him everything he'd always wanted- to become a God among men. Stronger, powerful…immortal.

"Nothing worked."

Each attempt failed and they lost patience with him.

"And they got tired of waiting…." Her fists clench, heat slowly curling in her gut. "They took_ everything._"

She'd had a life once. She'd been happy…

"I had a family." It's barely a whisper and they don't hear her because all they have are questions about what she's saying.

She blinks and memories of the past fade away. Jahnzen is in the now, standing among the NightStalkers in a building they've claimed. When she turns to them, King is much closer than he'd been, his hand about to reach for her. She pretends not to notice, ignores that spark of light inside herself and thinks instead of what she is, what she _needs_ from them now. She has to keep the anger burning, use it to keep fighting, to get them all…

"So…." Chris, the boy with piercing green eyes and broad face. The high cheekbones fit perfectly with his square jaw. Thick lashes frame his eyes and his nose though thin would've been straight had it not been for the slight bump on the bridge. It's obvious he's broken it at least once…

"I was trapped." She answers the unspoken question without really thinking about it. The words just…slip from her tongue and oddly enough Jahnzen feels numb. "…couldn't get out. Slade…he-." She frowns, pushes more memories away and clears her throat. "I'm perfect."

Abby snorts.

"As perfect as anyone or nature can produce." Jahnzen clarifies. She isn't bragging, there's none of that in her tone.

"You read minds." Abby points out. They all know that now and Jahnzen isn't apologizing.

"And burn…things." Andie adds, blue eyes sliding towards Chris.

Jahnzen eyes the boy as well, looks back to Abby and stands her ground.

"I'm telekinetic as well." They didn't know that and don't have to know she's not very good at controlling the fire either. They didn't need anymore reason to fear her or mistrust her, not when she wants to ask them for help. "I'm stronger, faster and more agile." She looks at Hannibal. "I see in the dark."

He can vouch for that, clearly remembers the glowing violet eyes.

"What I am, what I was made… I'll use this to hunt them down. I'm going to kill every last one." The force in her tone quiets them and she can see them think, each emotion flitting across their features.

They try to grasp all she's told them and it's not easy when Chris is stuck on the fact JD was born in 1886. Andie hasn't forgotten the scar on Chris' palm or the fact King's new girlfriend is still a danger to them. Abby's trying to make up her mind, trying to decide what to do because it's obvious where King is in all of this.

Jahnzen doesn't care one way or another. Screw what Dom says she needs because in the end if she has to go it alone it won't be any different than what she's been doing. Right now, all she wants is answers and it's only fair because it's _their_ turn to get questioned.

"What went wrong with DayStar?"

The silence in the living area is complete except for the three appliances whirring in the background. The NightStalkers glance at each other, wondering who will be the first to try and explain something they don't really get themselves-

"Ookidokey!" King shrugs, takes a deep breath and slaps his palms together exhaling. He spares his little family a glance, raises a finger and moves towards JD. "We have a couple of theories. Primarily…" he drops his hand and sighs heavily. "We don't know." He sees her blank expression and can't help glancing at the others before trying for a positive spin on this fuckup. "Buuut…the best bet is that the thing simply altered their DNA."

"You know," Andie pipes up. "kind of when you contract the virus, it alters your DNA to make you sort of an advanced hemophiliac?"

"So we sorta figured that it just altered their DNA again." Chris adds with a careless shrug of his broad shoulder. "To tell you the truth," he crosses his arms, brow furrowed exuding an air of exasperation. The green eyes rest on JD. "It really doesn't matter. We still have to kill them…. Daywalkers or not."

**F**

**Hello again, Kaoz here with another chapter co-Written by WAHTtheF.**


	11. Valen

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: This is a new chapter, an add in to this fic because Bane is just _special. =) I'm gonna go work on his happy ending, well, maybe, eventually- just go read._  
**

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**Chapter 11: Valen**

**_All through the rising sun, All through the circling years  
You were the only one, Who could have brought me here_**

He nears the Manor, scans the façade of broken windows and roof tiles. There are weeds in the gardens that are no longer gardens. He's been all over, explored every bit of the Riven lands and the only place he's stayed away from is the cottage.

That's her place.

It's where she lost everything and he knows something about that. There's a place for him too, a place…somewhere but it's too far in the past he doesn't even know where the road begins. The Manor is his home now.

There's broken glass in the entrance, small bits of crumbled plaster and tiles, dead leaves that crunch beneath the huge paw. The doors are gone, he doesn't remember ever seeing them and weeds have made their way into the hall. The bright light of day dims considerably inside the Manor though he finds his way through the rubble easily. Nothing has been changed, nothing put back in its place or fixed and the Manor has been this hollowed out, abandoned…relic of another time since she found him.

The stairs groan dangerously under his weight but they're firm. He pauses at the top and with snout raised quickly finds what he's been looking for.

She's not far and he isn't surprised to find her standing in the middle of the large room. It had been his…

"Daphna."

She doesn't acknowledge him nor does she flinch from the harsh sound of the raspy growl that is his voice. He knows she heard just like he knows she was aware of his presence the moment he reached the stairs. He growls softly, won't speak again and instead makes his way towards her to nudge her leg.

"You need a bath." Her nose wrinkles at the smell though she pets his head and runs her fingers through the inky fur. She gets caught in the tangles and burs. Jahnzen offers him a brief smile finally looking away from the remnants of the nursery. "It'll be easier if you changed."

He doesn't like shifting forms, it's a bit painful and he isn't used to this. He turns a grayish eye on her knowing he'll change anyway, because she asks him to.

Jahnzen steps back, slightly turns away to give him some space and a little privacy. She knows him well enough now and he trusts her.

"You are sad."

He knows her as well.

The faint shrug of her shoulder is the only answer and then she's walking away. He follows her, bare feet as silent as hers even on the plaster covered floors. The walls are an indecipherable shade of greenish brown, most of the wall paper has long since fallen off. Some of the rooms have unplanned windows- large gaping holes in their midst's…

Jahnzen doesn't look around anymore. This had been home.

She stops in the next corridor, the double doors pushed open and glances over her shoulder.

"Clean up, Valen."

He's a sorry sight. Inky hair matted and dirty with bits of leaves and burs caught in it. He's a light bronze color- no doubt from exposure to the summer sun and some due to the dirt. His blue-gray eyes look back at her, intense and searching but there's nothing to see- nothing Jahnzen wants him to know. Her words are softened by the small smile she offers and then she's walking away again.

Valen watches, silent. He's just a shadow- unseen and unheard but she sees him. She found him, alone and hurt. She's cared for him, given him a place to call home and he's been safe. There's no one to hurt him now, no one to chase after him, who wants to kill him for what he is and _what_ is he?

Valen's eyes drop to the floor, a slight frown on his features.

_"You are Valen. And you are not alone."_

His lips pull up at the corners. Her words, often repeated still carry the same note of sincerity. Not once has she ever been anything other kind to him.

_'Family.'_

That's what they are, even if there are no ties of blood between them.

**F**


	12. Invitation

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

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**Chapter 12: By Invitation Only**

**_Don't want to lock me up, don't want to forget how this feels. _**

**_I want to stay in love with my sorrow but… God I want to let it go._**

She's sitting in the kiosk reading another of Dom's letters. The sun slowly sets and the wind lifts strands of inky hair from her shoulder and she shivers in the cool evening. Her robe isn't exactly warm though it is comfortable; one of the gifts Ling Liu had sent just before her death. Closing her eyes, Jahnzen likens the burnt orange color of the silk to the shimmering rays of sunlight of Egyptian deserts. The green vine design on the hem and sleeves contrasts beautifully, bringing in a delicate feel to the robe.

Jahnzen sighs softly, mahogany eyes skimming over the letter in her lap once more.

**F**

_Lady Jahnzen_

_As I promised, there is news. The tribe you've been searching for, the ones responsible, are the Pallintine. What I could gather isn't much. They are from the Baltic region and have some of the wealthiest industrialist in their ranks. Over the centuries they've made a fortune in high tech contracts, farming and mostly construction._

_All those buildings you've been burning down? Yeah, it's the Pallintines building them. I should warn you, they _really_ don't like you. Now, to my next piece of information. The enclosed envelope holds an invitation to their one and only charity event. The 12 members of the House of Erebus will be present. The wealth they've amassed has allowed them to blend in with humans._

_I took the liberty of sending a new toy. This one is all mine, something I've been working on for a while. I know. You've told me many times you don't like them but, Jahnzen… times have changed. The vampires have embraced this and I think it's time you do as well. So…_

_At least try them before you decide you don't like them and then let me know how they worked?_

_The same principle applies; just slide them into the cuffs or the buckle to get them past any security. They won't have anything that can detect my grandfathers' technology. No one but I have those notes and they can't get 'em where I have them stored._

_Good brains run in my family._

_Be careful._

_Much love,_

_Dom Xie_

**F**

The letter floats down to the wooden floor of the kiosk as Jahnzen relaxes. She looks up at the fading sun, fingers lightly tracing the pattern on the cuff. She stands, draws in a deep breath and raises her hands. Dark eyes study the silver cuffs Dom has sent. The familiar webbing is a close match to what Xie has created. She's a little hesitant even though Dom has never failed her. Jahnzen is well aware that there is always a first time.

"Let's hope this isn't it." She takes a deep breath and follows the pattern. Pressing lightly on silver coils send a slight shock over her skin.

It's not difficult, doesn't take long to go from one place to another and the only side effect is the slight nauseous feeling once she's reached her destination.

She can see Hannibal. He's sitting in an overstuffed chair with his feet propped up on the small table in front of him. The TV casts its lights- flashes of bright colors and the mug in his hands is tilted dangerously.

_"_Hannibal_…" _she calls to him softly and yet he turns towards her voice, startled.

"What?" he frowns, eyes scrunching from the sudden glare of the TV only to widen at what he sees. "Agh! God dammit!" he jumps up from his seat completely forgetting his mug. "Aaah…." He stops trying to wipe the coffee from his chest and just stands with his arms at his sides, head thrown back and lets the burn slowly recede to a dull throbbing before he decides to peek towards the TV again.

Jahnzen shifts just slightly from one foot to the other, uncomfortable and that is unusual.

"Did I fall asleep again?" King wonders then shakes his head. "No, no… I'm fucking burning!"

Jahnzen feels her cheeks heat up at mention of the dream. She clears her throat and forges ahead hoping to completely bypass the kiss.

"I'm…"

"You can walk in people's dreams and now you can appear like some frigging ghost too!" he frowns, head slightly tilted as he looks her over again because she seems solid enough. "Anything else you'd like to tell me? Like that you can fucking shapeshift or maybe turn water into wine?" he sets the coffee mug down on the table just a little hard and keeps a wary eye on her. And she's no longer leather clad- looking like some assassin. The orange dress- kimono maybe? Doesn't matter what it is, all King knows is that she looks…softer, more…well, girly- it's got all her curves outlined and the silk is this warm shade-. All King wants is that warmth. Every synapse in his brain wants to reach out and touch her.

She's slightly uncomfortable under his gaze. There's this look in his eyes, sort of predatory and Jahnzen only wants to run. Away? To him?

"No." Jahnzen shakes her head, any excuse to look away, to get those thoughts of him and the kiss out of her head. "The Tribes are uniting."

The sudden insert of business surprises King and he has this brief 'deer in the headlights' look before shaking those feelings and crazy thoughts out of his head.

"What are you talking about?"

"In three days they will all be together in _Los Angeles_. All twelve members." She pauses slightly, just enough King gets this isn't a joke. "They're holding some kind of charity event…"

She trails off and King slowly nods.

"We take them out; they're disorganized and left floundering." His tone is all business, brown eyes locked with hers. It seems like a good plan but, all plans do. He's just quietly waiting for the hitch in the plan, the 'King to the rescue' part of her plan.

"It'll be a huge blow. They won't see it coming and they won't easily recover." She hopes it will give her enough time to get the rest of them because others will move up, take the places the NightStalkers and Fury will empty in three days.

"Where do we meet?"

She smiles. Not like one of those big light-up your eyes kind of smiles. King likens it more to one of those wicked little 'You aren't going to like this' smiles girls get when-

"You'll need a tux."

This time King smiles. He had a feeling it was going to be something he wouldn't enjoy.

"Your invitation is on the table. Tell them not to be obvious." She nods towards the table and before King has a chance she's gone. Just like that, no sound and it's not like he saw her disappear because he was too busy wondering how the fuck he didn't notice the envelope before.

King looks up and aside from the envelope there's just the faint scent that only a woman can leave behind.

"And I still don't know what it is."

It's just a little bit frustrating but, he definitely likes it.

**F**

**AN: ****Another co-written chapter by WHATtheF.**


	13. Dressing Up?

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written. Originally, I had help from WhatTheF with this chapter and I love the style so I did my best not to screw it up, hopefully I've succeeded.  
**

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**Chapter 13: Dressing Up?**

**_Today, too late, how long do we have to wait…_**

Abby bites her lip. All four NightStalkers are walking down the street, very lightly armed and careful considering King is wanted by the FBI. They're in search of evening wear, an experience Abby is not looking forward to.

"King." Abby absently twirls a strand of brown-gold hair in her fingers, brow furrowed. "This is a black and white affair."

"Yeah." King agrees, rubs his chin feeling the light stubble.

"Well, uh. It's black. Or it's white…" Abby trails off; not bothering to finish her thought because it's not like King gets it.

"Uh, well," King blinks, looks to his left. "Thank you for clearing the air on that one, Whistler."

Abby simply rolls her eyes and she's already picked up on the fact King is not exactly ecstatic about stepping into a tux.

"And King?" Andie bounces up beside them, bright blue eyes twinkling. "No retro seventies plaid, got it? You may be a dinosaur but you don't have to dress like it."

King looks down at Andie, a sour smile on his face but hey, she's a kid after all. Anything over the age of twenty-five is considered 'ancient' in their eyes.

"Or white because…" Chris trails off, scrunching his nose up in an obvious look of disgust.

"Oh, and here I was thinking about some Seinfeld ruffles and perhaps a hot pink?" King snarks, but they all know that 'The King' is just scared.

Of a tux.

Only it's a bit more, it's the memory of another tux, another time and what it meant.

"Wow, Dad. Last time you were in a tux was-." Chris stops abruptly, the smile dropping from his face. Because the last time King was in a tux was the day he married Amy Ferrara, Chris' Mother.

King has this broken expression on his face as Chris struggles to recover, find something to say that will cover the awkward silence and the echo of his words.

"A long time ago." Is what Chris manages to say. "Hardly remember." And he shrugs though he's got the image of his Mother on King's arm standing in front of the priest at the little church with just a few friends of his Mom's. Now Chris knows why there wasn't any 'family' on King's side of the church.

"Hold the phone." Andie stops mid street, a little frown on her face. She's got the envelope in her hand. "This is for a Dr. Malone. Plus one." She eyes them; eyebrow raised and slides her gaze from Chris' grateful one. "That's two people."

It's obvious, there are four of them and that means a different way into this event for the other two. Both Andie and Chris are well aware of who the odd couple out will be.

"Malone?" King scratches his head, frowns slightly. He's not sure how he likes the name as he tries it out a second time and looks to Chris. "Do I look like a Dr. Malone, Chris?"

Chris doesn't even look up from the ground, just shrugs a big shoulder. "Eh, you look like Dad to me."

King can't help but smile. He reaches a big hand up and ruffles his step-son's hair, promptly getting a smack on the back from him.

Abby shrugs off the show of affection unable to hide her smile because at least King is smiling.

"What about me, Andie?" she takes up the change of topic easily and why the hell not when King still blames her for the way he's got to live his life now. There's a lot King blames Abigail for. "Do I look like a 'plus one'?"

"Well," Andie drawls as she turns on her heel and starts down the street again. "That is your middle name."

**F**

Abigail Whistler stands in front of the full length mirror putting the last pin in her hair. The ones her Father had given to her Mother the day he'd had to leave them. She can barely remember them together, having been so young but the ache is still there, every time she thinks about him, that last time they saw each other…

Secret meetings in the middle of crowds, at a little café or an ice cream parlor; not the sort of place you'd think to find Abraham Whistler.

Abby shakes her head, banishing those memories for now and turns away from the mirror feeling the curls bounce on her shoulder. She sits at the edge of her bed taking the heels from the shoe box. Everything is still in its wrappings though what she's going to do with the dress after… there's no way to return used shoes.

She brushes some bangs out of her eyes careful not to smudge her make-up, not that anyone would notice she wore any and frowns. She thinks of what it was like, before any of this, before Blade when she'd been just a regular girl. A boy crazy girl who liked to go out on dates and wear make-up and got dressed up…

_'I don't see that girl.'_

With everything that's happened in the last few years…well, that boy crazy girl is dead.

"I'm no kid." Abby whispers to her reflection.

**F**

"Whistler!" King yells, frowning at the stairs and waits a few moments for a reply and surprise, surprise… He never gets one. "Women."

He rolls his eyes and winks at Chris. He holds his hand out to catch the .22 Chris tosses and spins the chamber, making sure it's loaded with silver nitrate bullets then puts it back in the satchel. He'd rather it was on him but with the security measures the suckheads have in place he'd never get inside.

Abby looks down into the garage and breathes deeply. She frowns and is that anxiety curling in her guts? Her hand smoothes the front of her dress and starts down because Abigail Whistler does not get anxious. Ever. At least _this_ Abby doesn't and yet there she is, worried over a dress! Well, more likely it's the attention a skirt gets a woman that concerns her.

Andie turns to look up at the sound of foot steps eager to see how the dress fits and grins.

_'Drop dead, Fred.'_ Because the black lace has this shimmer to it that catches under the light and Abby's eyes are this smoky greenish-gray, so yeah. Andie nudges Chris with her elbow and he turns around half expecting to see the same leather jacket and jeans. Needless to say, he is surprised by the elegant woman coming to stand at the foot of the stairs. So surprised, in fact, that he loses control of his arm and knocks three cartridges and a shotgun off the table.

"Whoa, careful Chief." King warns slightly frowning. He turns to see what's got his son fumbling and finds a strange version of Abby shifting uncomfortably at their stares.

She's a completely different version and if he didn't know her, if King hadn't lived through hell with her and _because _of her… Well, it's only a dress after all. Just a costume and yeah, she's looking damn good with this mask but he's not able to forget.

Still, King offers her a smile and nods.

"We ready to roll?"

Abby doesn't expect much, she wants more dammit. Some acknowledgement, some sign that they'll eventually be able to get that back, that friendship she's screwed up and hey, at least she got a real smile outta him.

_'I'm in a dress.'_ Yup, that's just about the last reaction she expected out of King but then, well, its _King._

**F**

They enter through the lobby; the tall glass front allows the light from the streets to shine through. King isn't looking at the street or the entrance because he is more interested in the huge lobby they are being led into. Somehow, seeing all the people being ushered into a huge area makes him think of cattle. All that's missing are the pens- or maybe he's getting it confused with sheep? Either way, King shakes the feeling of 'doom' and scans the huge ass room noticing the designs on the archways glinting bright and he wonders if that's gold leaf… he wouldn't put it past the vampires to decorate with it. Everything is either marble or extravagantly decorated to show off their wealth, like no one knows they aren't filthy rich anyway.

He makes a round of the lobby and notices the huge stairs leading to the second floor. They've got a dark maroon colored carpet with some gold and bronze leaf design. And just behind them is another archway, dimly lit and covered by a huge suckhead in a tux.

_'Elevators.'_

King eyes the length of the wall which is covered in tapestries. He frowns, takes another look at what's depicted and skips to another that continues the battle scene. There are figures in armor, swinging swords and cutting down, what to most people would look like huge ass dogs.

_'Yeah, I'm the fucking Keebler Elf.'_ King scoffs, turns away and not sure why, just looks up.

The vaulted ceiling is painted like one of those old cathedrals in Europe and he's suitably awed by what he sees. King squints, trying to make out what he _thinks_ are _'Angels.'_

They _are _angels, sort of blending in with the clouds also brandishing swords and all of them glowing, looking like…some... beautiful…"Angels."

And below those angels?

People.

Yeah, just your regular, robed figures of people caught between the warring angels- obviously a heaven and hell theme. Angels are fighting a war, right above their heads and it isn't lost on King what a fucked up sense of humor these suckheads have and everyone else, all these people drinking up wine and eating caviar? They aren't even paying attention! All of them, completely oblivious to the message being shove down from the painted frescoes overhead.

"Fucking unbelievable!" King mutters eyeing the crowd of 'sheep', those rich snobs and Hollywood celebrities. He shakes his head and at Abby's look points her upwards. "They deserve what's coming."

**F**

Chris has a problem. Yeah, and its walking around in a black mini-skirt. Too bad Andie's having fun, more so watching as King 'absently' searches the crow for JD. She's supposed to be there and while King might deny that twinge of disappointment he's got the nagging feeling she might have sent them with no intention of coming herself.

Beside him, Abby's dazzling smile hides the fact she's all business on the inside. Her head nods to each exit she scopes out, calculating the seconds it'll take her to get to each one. She's totally oblivious to King's thoughts and the tray that suddenly appears at her side. When she turns to deny the alcohol a pair of twinkling blue eyes peers at her through the flute. King unconsciously stretches an arm to snatch a glass off the tray. He raises the flute to his mouth and almost drops it seeing Andie.

"Jesu-us!" King's voice drops at the last syllable, remembering where it is they are and eyes the crowd and smiles at the few frowning faces.

"Find your girlfriend yet, Dr. Malone?" Andie smirks, totally amused by King's reaction though she doesn't miss the attention he's drawn and turns to offer Abby a flute as well.

"Not quite yet." King gives Abby an odd look as she takes the flute from his hand and places it back on Andie's tray. He makes a point of taking another one and drinks.

"Well," Andie huffs lightly, an eyebrow arched as she frowns at him. "What are you doing?" her tone is slightly scolding though she's smirking. "You act like you're at a party."

"This is a party, sweetheart." King takes another swig of his drink and smirks, eyes once more scanning the crowd.

"Speaking of sweethearts…" Andie draws his attention to the balcony overhead and there, overlooking the dance floor he sees vibrant red intertwined with green on a white background. His eyes travel the rest of the way up noticing a bare expanse of golden skin and higher to jet black locks pinned in place by silver combs. The woman turns, a smile on her red lips…

_'Full, red lips…'_ King's thoughts aren't confined to his mind because both Andie and Abby can see it on his face. He watches as the light catches on the red stones hanging from her ears. Again, he scans the length of her, noticing everything from the silver combs in her hair, the way her eyes seem to look through a man… the dress breaks the rule of the event but King doubts anyone would openly tell her. Plus, the way she looks…

King lowers the flute from his open mouth, almost chocking on what he's drank and making the obvious effort not to spit back out. If there had been any doubt in his mind before there wasn't any now.

She's absolutely gorgeous.

"Guuh," he fumbles for something to say when both Abby and Andie are watching him intently. "That, uh, color, really…brings out…uh…"

Abby shakes her head, slightly amused by this speech impeded King and brings her gaze down to Andie's. The younger girl just rolls her eyes, both of them knowing what the other is thinking without having to say so; _Men._

This time it's Andie who grabs the drink from King's hand. "I'm cutting you off, Doctor."

King makes a hurt face and for the first time really looks down at the girl his step-son is in love with. She's wearing the standard waitress uniform; white button up shirt and black tie tucked into a black skirt. King has just decided it's not even a uniform because the skirt is too fucking short and the heels aren't helping any. Not to mention the fact Andie's still only about 5'6" _with _the heels. She looks like a delicious little pixie.

"Go put some clothes on, Hawthorne." King orders with a slight scowl on his face.

Andie just straightens her tie, offers a smile before gracefully sauntering away. It doesn't escape King's notice the admiring eyes she draws from the pervy older men in the room. Abby just chuckles; the girl has spunk and she's capable of taking care of herself.

"Have you seen Andie?"

Abby and King turn to find Chris standing there, also in waiter uniform minus the skirt. The tray looks more awkward in his hand than it did in Andie's.

"Yup," King has no qualms over the trouble he's helping to start. "Over there."

The three watch as Andie serves a group of men, visibly enjoying the attention they lavish on her. Chris lets out a frustrated grunt and stalks through the crowd towards his girl.

Now, King and Abby aren't in hearing distance of the squabble though King wishes he is since Andie's found quite an entertaining way to dance around Chris' temper. But its almost funnier to watch without sound.

A hulking Chris towering over Andie sends the group of men quickly on their way with just a brief glance back at the pair. They're smart enough not to get involved, proving that some instinct for survival still exists. Abby and King watch as the kids, both waving free hands around excitedly argue. At one point, a nice little old lady- too much _Elizabeth Taylor_ with the sparkling jewels and big hair- taps Chris on his shoulder. The kids yell in unison that they're busy startling the old lady and then Andie hands her a drink before Chris draws her away and the old lady moves along. Chris then brushes a few strand of hair out of Andie's eyelashes and kisses her softly on her forehead. She gets up on her toes and kisses him on the cheek, signifying a truce. They make up, just like they always do, though King doesn't need to know_ exactly_ how they make up. But this is so simplistic, so easy and sweet- yeah, King actually thinks its sweet- and it makes him long to have someone again…

Abby notices the look on King's face and follows his gaze to the woman that's grabbed his attention. She's trying to set aside her personal feelings- dislike, mistrust and plain fear- yeah; she won't admit it out loud but its there. Because Abby's afraid of loosing King for good.

Abby sighs, one hand lightly shoving at King's arm. "Go find her."

**F**

"Lady Daphna."

Jahnzen turns at the sound of her name, a polite smile on her face. She greets the men holding herself just a bit aloof and notices their admiring glances. She's reassured though there is one opinion she is more than nervous about. She tells herself it shouldn't matter, what they are there for is more important than vanity and yet there's that little anxious knot inside her.

"You've broken the rule."

Jahnzen turns her attention to the actor who's just spoken. Her brow furrows lightly trying to remember which one he is because she's gotten them mixed up already. They all look the same.

"Pardon?"

"It's a black and white affair, darling." Dirk Callaway laughs, places a possessive hand on her elbow and Jahnzen returns the smile, easily turns away to set down her flute. The move effectively removes his touch and his annoyance is palpable. She has spent the last few weeks visiting the village near the Manor at night, when it's not so loud. It's still difficult to quiet the raucous noise of the party but she's not fleeing in pain from it and that's a start.

"I am wearing white." Her voice is soft, a smile flitting over her full lips as she looks up at Roland Benning. He returns her smile with a slight smirk.

"Yes," he chuckles pointing out the skirt of her dress. "And red and green…" he doesn't care either way. Just making an observation and taking advantage of the opportunity to eye the beautiful woman annoying the fuck out of Dirk. It's amazing how thick Callway is, either that or he could care less about the fact she's not enjoying the attentions of Hollywood's A-list leading man.

"Oh," Jahnzen turns slightly offering up a profile view. "It's not too much…?" she purposely sets her lips in a slight pout and looks up through her lashes. It's amazing how easily she falls into old habits, how simply the past is once more her present. Both men have admiring expressions though Callaway is mentally undressing her. _His _thoughts haven't been easy to block, a lot of what he _wants _to do turns her stomach. It hasn't been easy, refraining from breaking his hands each time he dares touch her but she's managed to remain calm. There's a reason to why she's standing around, making small talk and just bidding her time until she can finally work off this anger slowly building inside her.

Jahnzen never hesitated in picking out her gown. She wants to stand out, make herself seen and though the dress isn't the most fashionable it does have a 40's elegance. The white silk is cool against her bare skin; the high neckline gives the dress a restrained feel while the ¾ sleeves leave the silver cuffs in perfect view. The skirt floats about her legs, the vines fading out at thigh level while the flowers scream out in vivid red. Yes, the dress is certainly modest even if it does outline her torso in perfect detail… until she turns around. The back of the dress plunges in a deep 'V' exposing her bare back eliciting vivid images in Dirk Callaway's mind of her creamy skin under his hands…

"Well," the lazy drawl precedes the dark eyes skimming over the white silk. "You all sound as though you're complaining."

Jahnzen stiffens slightly, the barest wince flashing over her features at the sound of his voice.

_'Why when I'm making a fool of myself?'_

He's leaning lazily on the banister, one hand carelessly tucked into the pocket of his black dress pants. The white tux jacket fits him nicely and Jahnzen takes more than one appreciative look at the width of his shoulders. The three men notice the slow smile that graces her full lips. King seems more at ease than Jahnzen would have thought, she expected he'd be itching to get out of the 'monkey suit'. She thinks of Slade, how at ease he could be in a tie but these aren't the same times. Modern men have lost their sense of chivalry, they don't bother to hide what they really are; like Callaway.

King watched her as he made his way up the stairs. Her quiet way of flirting almost made his heart stop in his chest. Everything about her is simply…awe inspiring, right down to the lazy sway of her skirt and how often it outlines her leg perfectly.

_'God, what I wouldn't give to be that skirt…'_

She looks at him and there's a smile- an honest to God smile. If his heart hadn't stopped before it certainly will now because this isn't one of those fake ass smiles JD was giving those walking jack-offs either. This one makes her eyes crinkle a little at the corners and makes her full lips just…

_'Oh God.'_

"Hello." It's in her voice, that soft tone and their eyes meet, both still smiling at one another. A moment interrupted by _someone_ King vows to himself he will _kill_ later.

"Dr. Malone," Jahnzen steps past the actors, dark eyes never leaving Hannibal's. She places her hand on his arm and King threads it through his arm moving to stand beside her. "This is Roland Benning. And Dirk Callaway."

King shakes their hands though he's only thinking of her small hand nestled in his arm, and through all the smoke and cologne he gets that unmistakable scent of hers. Light and yet smoky, a sweetness oddly like black currants and Camellia.

King thinks of JD- that first meeting; it's impossible not to remember the Fautinas vampire- what she did to him… This woman beside him is completely different from that JD. This woman is elegant, she's confident- fits into the flash and sparkle of this environment and why not when it's what she had been raised in? He glances down at her small hand resting in the nook of his arm and can't help his grin. Yes, she is absolutely stunning.

"So you agree?" Callaway turns his attention on Jahnzen, making it a point that he has seen where her hand rests.

"With what?" King forcefully tears his eyes away from JD. Roland laughs at what must be a clearly visible struggle to do so.

_'Hey, I did it.'_

"I believe he's been captured by Lady Daphna's beauty."

Jahnzen nods slightly, a hint of pink suffuses her cheeks.

_'Cute.'_

"Thank you. I'm sure there are others more so tonight." Those firefly eyes scan the crowd just below and sure enough there are plenty of other women- in the proper black and white – smiling and flirting.

"Actually," King straightens, drawing in a breath, brown eyes focused solely on JD as he tugs her close into his side. "I was wondering how you'd look if we were dancing." He's gently leading her towards the stairs- Callaway's frosty glare ignored. "Gentlemen." He tosses over his shoulder as they successfully leave the actors behind.

_'Mission accomplished.'_

And then he's thinking of her name; _Daphna_.

_'Yeah, I like it.'_

That's one initial down and when they reach the ground floor he takes her straight towards the dance floor. Yeah, she'd look stunning dancing-

"I've located five members." Jahnzen's voice is somewhere at shoulder level for King.

"Uh-huh." He completely ignores that, he could care less right about now. He pulls her into his arms and maybe that surprises her because her feet tangle and King quickly slips his arm around her waist to balance her. He takes her hand but she won't look up, instead keeps her focus on the other couples. He's got the strongest urge to smell her hair- he's always been impulsive so… She smells like he imagines a dark night on an island in some exotic location would be filled with; the scent of fruits and wild flowers…

"Daphna." King's soft tone whispers past her ear, his lips lightly grazing her cheek. "Well, that's one."

"Yes," she frowns at the breathless tone in her voice and forces herself to ignore their closeness, not to think on the image in his head he has of them both though she doesn't mind it. "Now, let's get to work."

King chuckles; she can't completely get rid of the nervous note in her voice. "Hang on you little Fury."

She squeezes his arm, a little harder than necessary but he can forgive that.

"Don't forget, they can hear."

He doesn't answer, he knows and doesn't care because all he wants is one dance, just one… And King knows _how_ to dance.

"Hannibal…?" there's jus a tinge of confusion in her voice and she's following his lead easily.

"Oh, did you finally notice my mad skills?" King draws back just enough to wink down at her. That same light pink fills her cheeks and she lowers her eyes to his neck tie. A thousand different thoughts and emotions flow through her and she is confused. Its obvious to King, Jahnzen is conflicted.

_'Shit. I'm rushing this…'_

Because maybe instead of jumping in headlong like he's done every other time, _this_ time it should be different. Hell, it _is_ different.

"I just assumed…" she trails off, eyes looking around his arm as they turn and King emits a heavy sigh.

"Had to learn ballroom for the- uh…" he quits, realizing what it is he almost said to JD.

_'Oh God. What would she think?'_

Jahnzen takes one look at his face and knows better than anyone what's going through his mind. She doesn't have to look in his head, not when the grief and guilt fill his eyes and he's standing still as a statue in the middle of the floor.

She takes his hand in hers and quickly leads him through the couples and off to the side.

"I've located five." Jahnzen looks up at King, those dark eyes flashing like fireflies looking back at him. "Did you find any?"

King just shakes his head. He didn't bother looking around for any of the suckheads.

"I was looking for you." His admission is filled with guilt.

_'Oh God. What would Amy think?'_

Because King can't ever forget- he can't allow himself to _forget_ and yet… JD takes up his every waking thought- hell, King _dreams_ of her! He can't stop thinking about this woman, the mystery she is and what the fuck is it? How can he be so infatuated with any one person in such a short time?

By contrast, Jahnzen feels as though his words froze the air in her lungs. And while he's looking down at her, there's something in his eyes, not quite sad or guilty though he feels those too. She knows those emotions as well as King and why not when they've both lost their families- even if King retains a small piece of it.

Jahnzen?

She has nothing, nothing at all beside memories…waking nightmares and dreams of what she once had-

King turns at the hand on his shoulder.

"The kids are in place." Abby turns green eyes on JD, skimming over her dress with an arched eyebrow. "Wasn't this a black and white affair?"

"I'm in white." Jahnzen doesn't take the bait, the slight challenge in Abby's tone ignored because there are more important matters at hand.

King's expression shifts, his brown eyes show nothing and Jahnzen knows the moment is gone. She feels disappointed- cheated somehow because she wants…

_'Happily ever after?'_

Jahnzen had that, she was blind to the realities and her _Happily Ever After_ went up like smoke. So, No. There's work to be done, no time for anything other than vengeance.

Fury has work to do, deaths to avenge.

"The twins are both in black." She's all business now. "To your left." Her eyes shift slightly, both Abby and King never turn though they take note of their position. "The two men, they're Upiers. Don't be fooled by their youthfulness." It's a warning Jahnzen didn't have.

He first encounter with the tribe was more than fifty years past. Still, it was extremely educational to say the least.

"They hone their skills early." She knows- _saw _what they could do and was incapable of saving more than a handful of families. The rest… Fury burned them all, the entire town… along with the rest of the people left behind. She is way more dangerous than Abby can imagine and Jahnzen has to brush aside the memory of what she did. That town is nothing more than a crater- a black smudge in the world map blamed on some unexplained explosion. And no one left who can point to her as the cause.

"The other three…" Jahnzen's eyes slightly un-focus as she mentally scans through the crowd of people. She winces at the rush of thoughts and sounds that echo in her head but doggedly skims past all of them until she finds the last vampires. "There. The woman in white."

King looks up at the mirror, eyes widening at the sight and quickly whips around to find the origin. This woman is _all_ white. Platinum blond hair, alabaster skin and she's not at all shy about it. She's tall, about as tall as King with those heels with big, red Angelina Jolie lips and a very strategically placed dress. Let's just say there is some double sided tape involved.

"She's a Lemure."

King is listening to JD, barely and suddenly feels a sharp jab in his side. He emits a short puff of breath and turns to JD who is now frowning at him.

"What?" because King doesn't see what he's done-

"They seduce their prey." The mahogany eyes briefly flash with gold sparks. "Play with their victims until your dead or turned."

King frowns. The seducing bit is what has him thinking maybe JD was snooping in his head again and he doesn't like that one bit.

"Just pay attention."

King puts it together, and clearly he doesn't have as good a poker face as he's thought.

Jahnzen ignores the frown; she wants them to know what they will be dealing with. She has no doubts they are good hunters but these aren't their usual fare of vampires. The NightStalkers haven't had much experience with purebloods, of that she is certain.

"The other two, they are Cianteto, of Mexico. They can regenerate any limb." Jahnzen turns to Abby knowing the delicate vampires won't be difficult for her to deal with. "Ashe are the most vulnerable; garlic, silver and sunlight. That's all it takes. Their body guards… those can be a problem."

"Not to me." Abby is confident in her ability to stake vampires. She looks ready for the hunt and Jahnzen offers the barest smile of admiration.

"Von Espers are the most silent and ruthless of all the tribes."

All vampires are but these… Jahnzen hates them as much as she does the ones who took her life; that _Happily Ever After_ dream she had thought to be perfect…

"They don't want to live peaceably and so they are easily recruited to spill blood. They don't care who or why so long as they have bloodshed and chaos."

"Silver nitrate or a stake." Abby flashes a hard smile. "They're all ash."

"They are proficient killers. And strong." Jahnzen warns again though it doesn't seem to make a difference.

"How do you know this?" King's question is voiced quietly, curiosity evident in his tone and expression. Little by little he's learning more about JD, like a book and he's reading- skipping through the pages to stop on the bits that catch his eye first. Jahnzen wonders if he'll stay once he gets the complete picture of who and what she is. Just as quickly as the thought enters her mind she pushes it aside because there is no time for any of that. She is _not_ like them, no longer 'normal' and what they have isn't for her, not anymore.

"I've been hunting a long time…"

King knows she certainly doesn't look her age- hell, she definitely looks better than other women from 1886 and better than some in the room they're currently in. All that does is add to his curiosity and it's evident in his expression. Jahnzen can't hold his gaze and turns her focus on Abby who hasn't missed the long looks and silent question between the pair.

"I haven't located any others…" Jahnzen frowns slightly, turns and looks over her shoulder feeling the light touch. In the next instant she knows what _they_ are doing. "Quickly!" her hand automatically reaches for King. "Think of a rhyme- anything, even a song."

Her order is completely out of left field, but she starts to whisper this catchy old shanty she remembers from Grumpy John, the stable master.

_A country John in a village of late, Courted young Dorothy, Bridget and Kate. He went up to London to pick up a lass, To show her what a wiggle he had in his ass._

_'What the hell is up with this woman?'_ before King can ask, JD is on the second verse; _Then what is your price, be it little or much? I'm just in the humor to give you a touch._

Both Abby and King glance at each other, each wearing frowns though Abby starts to hum herself a hip-hop tune that's been playing non-stop on the radio the last few weeks. To tell the truth, King is sick of it.

_I'm as handsome a girl as any in town. Why dang it says he then I'll give thee a crown. O where shall we go for to find a bed, That I may enjoy your maidenhead…_

And damn if it's not stuck in his head now. He's singing along- humming to the words; _Why dang it says she there's no bed to be found, But I'll show you fine sport as I lie on the ground, The bargain was made and he tipt her the coin, she tipt him the glim in the height of his prime, O then she got up and away she did run!_

Not at all the sort of thing King would have expected from JD and this is just one more thing to add on the list of things that surprise him about her.

"Some one is checking." She's angry, eyes glimmering with gold as she scans the flashy crowd in the lobby.

"What kind?" Abby follows her example, looks from one person to another, genuinely intrigued though she'd seen nothing.

"Up here." Jahnzen touches her forehead as if moving a strand of hair out of her face.

"But Chris-!" King is immediately tense, eyes searching out the two waiters he hasn't seen in the last hour.

"They are fine." Jahnzen assures, brow creased in thought. She's 'looking' again.

_'She looks pretty in thought.'_

Under the circumstances, that's not exactly what King should be focused on.

"Pallintine." Her full lips thin just a bit at the hissed name. "And Von Esper. Two more Council members."

Its show time and King turns to Abby.

"You know what to do."

Abby doesn't need to be told. She's already turning away, tossing; "Already there." over her shoulder. The bottom of her dress, black lace swishing as she hurries off.

It's getting to be crunch time and King searches the crowd yet again.

"So what do they look like?" he listens to JD stammer as he takes her small hand in his. He can't help it, having her so close and not touch her? How do stop breathing and still live?

"Kobejitsu have red eyes and don't cast a shadow." She won't look at their laced hands, can't allow herself that bit of luxury so she focuses her gaze on the dance floor.

"That should be easy." King smirks. "No shadow they get a stake." He chuckles at the joke, her small hand warm in his.

King lightly rubs his thumb along her wrist, just a light touch and it feels as though a current of electricity shoots up her arm. It's not easy to ignore him, to keep her focus on what needs to be done- the reason she is standing there. With effort, Jahnzen haltingly removes her hand from his, eyes downcast as King turns to her, brow furrowed.

_'Too fast, King.'_

Like a lot of things and slowing down takes a bit of getting used to. So he doesn't try again, King just lets it slide and pays attention to the suckheads as they start heading to the elevator.

She has the disconcerting feeling of being watched and checks through the people around them. It's when the crowd on the dance floor parts that Jahnzen gets a glimpse of_ him._

_'No…'_

Because it can't be him, he's dead- she saw him die and so now Jahnzen thinks maybe the vampires know she is there. A few are well known for their ability to project false images. It doesn't stop her from taking that step towards the ghost even though it's gone now. She looks for 'it', still close to King but far enough he can't do anything about the cold arm snaking around her waist. She gasps, reaches back and manages to skim the tips of her fingers on King's hand before she's swept onto the dance floor.

It takes Jahnzen a moment to gather her wits, surprised she can keep up with the turns and her ability to keep up. Its due to habit and she thinks of Slade's sometimes unconventional behavior. He hadn't been all bad, a little distracted- too busy with his work and quickly annoyed with any interruption if things were going good. Most times, Slade had been attentive, in a good humor and playful… It was easy to pretend the 'little things' weren't an issue.

"Lady Daphna Riven."

It's the same smooth voice and Jahnzen drags in a short breath.

_'It isn't him.'_

She can tell herself that but when she looks up there's no denying the familiar face staring down at her. Jahnzen has to steel herself against the onslaught of emotions that run through her. It's the same dark eyes, the broad forehead and narrow nose… his hair is shorter but still has the soft curls- he hasn't changed, nothing…

_'It isn't him!'_

Denials keep screaming in her head, outwardly her expression is inscrutable and slowly a small smile lifts her full lips.

"I know of the Riven family." He smiles in return, makes another turn on the dance floor and she catches a fleeting glimpse of King moving ever closer towards her and this ghost that feels all too real. "I've seen their portraits, and you look very much like-."

"My some great's grandmother." Jahnzen softly cuts in. "I've been told, by family when I was a child." The lie falls from her lips easily, just one more thing that's changed. She's told it many times in the past; the Great- Grandmother that died in childbirth- not the explosion. A child raised away from the shadow of the Manor and all its trappings. Just one more way of protecting those who wanted to help and of keeping her nightmare intact, punishing herself for allowing it to happen at all.

"You were named for her then." He pulls her in closer, one more turn and the flash of white teeth accompanied by the sharp intrusion she can feel in her temples. He's looking for something and she forces her lips to turn up in a smile.

"Yes," her tone is level through it isn't easy to pretend she can't feel him trying to get in her head. "A family name."

It's a battle of wills only this time Jahnzen doesn't give in. He's got the same face, the same dark eyes and charming smile. There had been a time when she would have done anything he asked of her; give into him without question or complaint.

Just as quickly, he spins her out of his arms, holds her hand for a lingering moment then bows his head slightly. The crowd parts once again and he steps back to be folded in their midst.

She's left alone, at the edge of the dance floor searching for the familiar face and feeling the pit in her stomach open up to swallow her whole.

**F**

**Another chapter also co-writen by, WHATtheF. **

**Alright people, we kinda need some reviews cuz I'm thinking this isn't catching on but we'll see...**


	14. Jax

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: None  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written.**

**Chapter 14: Jax **

**_We sing the death song kids because we got no future and we wanna be just like you. _**

"Drink?"

She turns to the waiter intent on refusing, the words half formed when she notices the familiar slanted brown eyes peeking at her from behind the flutes filled with champagne. She recognizes him and the flush of worry turns to anger. That pit in her stomach can be ignored for the moment because Jahnzen wants badly to strangle him.

"Jax!" her voice is just a hiss, eyes flashing dangerously when he grins at her like they aren't in a vampire infested building. He is too sure she won't harm him in public though she has come close on a couple of occasions.

"Lady D! Wazzup?" by contrast he is laid back, unworried of the vampires that want her dead and wouldn't hesitate to kill him just for knowing her.

"God dammit!" she has the overwhelming urge to grab him by the ear. "What are you doing here?" she doesn't care that she sounds like a scolding Mother, looks around and thankfully they haven't attracted any attention. Jahnzen takes a flute and brings it to her lips, sipping at the cool liquid.

"Passing out the juice." At least this time there isn't a careless shrug to accompany the lazy drawl of his tone. Jax leans in, eyes shifting left then right. "Big bro said you were having a bar-b-q."

Jahnzen almost chokes on the champagne. Jax straightens, the smile still in place even though she's glaring at him.

He winks at her then points up. "You wanna go up now." He nods, a swatch of dark hair falling in his eyes once again. "All the way."

Jahnzen doesn't move, she's thinking of Hannibal and the NightStalkers… she hesitates to mention them at all.

"There are others."

Jax' only indication of surprise in the slightly arched eyebrow. "You mean, like friends?" he's teasing but she isn't in the mood and takes a threatening step towards him. It's bad enough Jax is standing in ground zero but that Dom might've sent him thinking she would need help… She blames Valen because only he knew she'd left and he worries each time.

"You _shihou nam zai…_"

"Okay!" Jax will give in before she finishes the threat, that only leads to physical pain and he likes to avoid that. "Show me."

Jahnzen draws a breath; her glare softens into a frown and though she would prefer Jax was far away from the fight he is there and stubborn.

His eyes glaze over with the first image she projects for him, their faces just as clear as if they stand before him.

"Yeah…" he nods with the picture of Andie and then Chris. "Knew they were funny." Even muttered under his breath Jahnzen hears him and amazingly understands the jumble of words. "Right." Jax blinks, focused once again on the woman before him. "Meet ya there."

Jahnzen would rather he left but as he turns away, the tray held in one hand she knows getting rid of Jax is a pain and there's no time for it when she has a Council of Vampires to burn. The concern for his safety is still there, at the back of her mind and she remembers the crazy kid she has seen grow up. He's quick to answer, laughs at almost anything, he could get hurt and laugh at the pain which was usually the case during her lessons. But… anger is stronger.

She's heading for the alcove where the elevators are located beneath the twin staircases. It's the same path the council members have taken and no one questions her, none of them stop her. None of them see the woman cloaked in shadows…

**F**

Jax carefully makes his way towards the back, where he sees Chris and Andie quietly sneaking out the door and into the maintenance room. He allows himself a moment for a wide grin to spread across his face.

_'Check and mate.'_

He opens the door to see Andie pulling on a pair of combat boots as Chris loads a big, nasty looking gun. Andie just stares at the door, she's shocked to see Jax standing there, the grin still in place and looking from one NightStalker to another. Chris allows instinct to take over; swings the butt of the gun towards Jax who returns the blow and the gun clatters to the floor. Trying to recover, Chris throws a left punch but Jax grabs the writs and pulls it back, towards him. Chris falls, lands with a grunt and heavy thump only to have Jax press his boot into the back of his neck and have his arm yanked painfully back.

"Lady D sent me." Jax smiles at Andie, doesn't seem to find anything unusual in their circumstances, just having a good 'ol time.

"Not ringing a bell." Andie throws a right hook at his face.

"Lady Daphna!" Jax exclaims as he blocks her fist. He doesn't really want to hit her, didn't want to hit Chris either but they did start… "She flares up. Burns shit down." He's grimacing, having a hard time blocking Andie and twisting Chris' arm to stop his squirming. Jax grits his teeth and thinks that if they don't slow the hell down… well, he's actually going to start hitting.

Andie takes a step back, head tilting to the side in an inquisitive manner though her hands are still fisted and half up.

"That's the one." Jax nods as Andie takes another step back and pulls a few curls from her face. A different smile lights Jax' features and he gives her a mandatory once over. "Heeey-."

Its cut short as Chris hooks his leg around Jax' and pulls his arm free of the slackened hold and rolls through. Now its Jax lying on the floor while Chris sits on his chest.

Jax simply smiles up at him.

"She yours?"

**F**

Chris reluctantly allowed Jax to his feet and the three put the plan in motion.

The plan was to meet up with Abby and King in the elevator. The problem is finding the Goddamn elevator in all these halls. They stalk through the monotonous grey corridors as if they are on the march to fight for the freedom of the known world. And, in fact, that is essentially what they are doing; each step resounding with a purpose as they hold their chins high.

Welcome to the new world order.

A vampire emerges from one of the halls branching off. Well, this is not part of the plan. Andie stands frozen while Chris' hand moves instinctively to the silver Bowie knife in his belt.

Jax however, rebelling from all the training Chris and Andie know, simply saunters up to the vampire as if he's going to ask to borrow his car for the weekend.

"Yo, wazzup?" Jax adds an enthusiastic wave to the greeting.

And then… … all of Jax' charm causes the vampire to turn into a pile of ash.

Or… … … nope, maybe its just Abby, appearing in the doorway of a nearby office. The stake in her hand contrasts with the sheer elegance of her dress, creating a menacing image.

A look of confusion floods her features noticing Jax. He's tall; a bit on the skinny side for slim though he's clearly got some muscle definition. His hair is spiked and … are those _violet_ streaks in his hair?

Yup, they are and though his bangs are long and fall over his eyes they can't hide the slanted shape framed by thick lashes and shaped eyebrows. Abby looks him over again, taking in the black work boots, dark denim jeans sort of tucked into them, the black leather belt doesn't do much to keep the jeans from riding low on his hips but thankfully there is no hint of underwear peeking out at them. The shirt is…well, its dark red, sleeves rolled up and the t-shirt, huh…. There's a bulls eye in the front and the bottom reads 'Shoot'.

"Who're you?"

"Names Jax." Another quick grin and he moves past Abby saying; "We've been looking for you." He reaches the end of the hall and starts left only to change his mind and go right. Jax then decides to make a complete circle before finally going left. "This waaay!"

Three NightStalkers look at each other hoping they didn't really hear that sing-song voice but neither of them denies it. Abby's raised eyebrow gets a shrug from Chris. He doesn't get the guy either.

"Yo, Whistler." Andie chucks a small duffel at her; clothes and weapons. Abby takes it as they head after 'Lady D's' messenger boy.

And Jax is obviously looking for something. He cranes his neck, reading each of the doors. Finally he spots the one marked 'Stairs'. Jax breaks into another grin as the door opens and King pokes his head out.

"And you make five. You're the last one." Jax states clearly pleased he's got all the NightStalkers. "We don't have all day, kiddies." He turns on his heel and heads off, this time it doesn't look like he's a drunk with no sense of direction.

"The hell is that?" King steps into the hall, a frown on his face staring after Jax while Andie starts to follow. Chris simply rolls his eyes moving after Andie leaving King and Abby to fall in as they all make their way to the elevators.

"Jax." Abby says.

"Lady D, sent him." Andie throws over her shoulder, stressing JD's title with obvious annoyance.

King's brow furrows as their destination comes into view. Jax is already situated in the middle of the elevator.

_'Who is this kid?'_

There's no time to figure it out and the group files into the elevator. Chris hands King a pair of silver 9mm. he happily accepts, feeling the way his palm conforms to the cool metal in an oh so familiar way.

"Don't you just feel naked without these babies?" King looks to his step-son who answers with a wierded out, confused expression. King utters a nervous laugh. "Maybe its just me."

Abby ignores the conversation, its just normal King speak, and pulls out a pair of jeans from the bag she slips on under her dress. Once zipped up, she takes her knife and the skirt in hand. The lace and stiff satin rip easily, almost like butter and Abby has this pang of disappointment as it falls away. The life of silk, lace and elegance isn't for her… is it?

The silence grows more uncomfortable as the elevator makes its way to the 28th floor. Jax can feel all eyes in the vicinity of him and fidgets around but that doesn't help shake their attention.

"Uh, anyone see any good movies lately?" he turns to Abby with a smile only she's got a confused frown marring her forehead, beside her; King's rocking a slight frown. "Jeez, tough crowd." Jax mutters turning to the doors once again. "I was just trying to break the ice."

That seems to get them off him and Jax tugs on the wrist cuff Dom sent him and thinks his Great ancestor is the coolest geek of his time _ever_ for coming up with such an awesome gizmo back when dinosaurs roamed the planet and they had no technology.

The cuff sparks, the short currents of electricity only tickle and from the sub-pocket he draws the shoulder holster and then a set of Desert Eagle pistols he quickly slips on. The second time he retrieves stakes and the thigh strap and bends to arm himself before reaching once more the get a belted holster and set of mini automatics and a .45 mill.

"The hell is that?" Abby watches the sparks dance over his hand and fade.

"This?" Jax smirks, holds up the chrome .45 though he knows it's not what she's asking about. All eyes go to the hand and the cuff he subconsciously moves to hide behind his back. "Nunya." He frowns. "That's what."

"Nunya?" Chris echoes, green eyes wide as he stares at Jax.

"Really?" Jax winces, brown eyes sliding to Andie in a sort of 'I'm sorry you put up with idiots' look. Chris doesn't get it, has the 'huh' look all over his face and Jax shakes his head, an over dramatic sigh preceding the next insult. "All brawn huh?"

"No." Chris scowls, voice rising and fists clenching. "I figured anyone over the age of seven would come up with better response than that."

Jax smiles, opens his mouth to say something along the lines of being surprised someone with such big neck got any blood to their brain but the elevator door opened with a cheery ding.

**F**

Alone.

Its not any easier to ignore what she saw only a few minutes ago in the lobby. She can't pretend the tingles along her skin from where he place his hands is telling her it was real, he was solid.

_'It's not him!'_

Anger is easier to deal with; she prefers that to the pain, the emptiness that is a constant state of being for her since she's become what they fear.

Anger also screws with her control, with the lesson LingLiu has imparted and the shadows Jahnzen cloak herself with slip away from her.

_'Find them.'_

Jax and the NightStalkers. That's her goal just so she knows they are well –

"We keep the blood suckers off Lady D."

She draws a breath and pulls the shadows around her once again. A hint of annoyances flits over her features because Jax should know better than to stand around gabbing but then, that's why Jahnzen didn't want the boy to stick around in the first place. For Jax, all of this is some adventure, an adrenaline rush and he loves anything that will give him that high.

"What about the Council-." Abby stops midsentence as the white skirt with familiar red and green pattern appears almost out of nowhere.

"I'll handle them." Jahnzen glances at the NightStalkers, dark eyes flickering with gold as they rest on Jax.

King feels a small tinge of relief. He was worried when she disappeared down stairs, off with some penguin suited dude though he'd caught her look; sort of panicked but that makes no sense, or does it? Then again, he couldn't be too worried about JD considering she could easily turn anyone with bad intentions into a replica of the Great Chicago Fire.

Still, King's happy to see her.

"Lady D!" Jax exclaims. He doesn't hesitate to put his hand on her shoulder and looks at Chris and Andie. His tone just a tad mocking. "Its Lady Deee."

**F**

**Once again co-writen by,WHATtheF.**

**Reviews people...!**


	15. The Council

**Title: **Fury

**Rated for:** Language,

**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Adventure

**Fandom/Universe:** Blade Trinity

**Characters: **HannibalKing, Abigail Whistler, Nightstalker OC's,

**Pairings: **King/OC

**Spoilers/Warning: **None that I can see yet.**  
**

**Disclaimer:** Blade and all related characters are copyright Marvel Comics and I'm guessing New Line Cinema. No infringement intended.

**Status: Re-written**

**Chapter 15** : **The Council**

**_You should have learned by now I'll burn this whole world down,_**

**_You think you've won this fight,_**

**_You've only lost your mind_**

The vampire ashes in his leather chair. Not a sound has alerted their preternatural ears to an intruder.

The 11 members of the House of Erebus Council stop bickering and stare in shock at the smoldering chair. It deeps when they see her step from the shadow of its bulk, snarled fangs on display for each face.

"Fury!"

The horror-struck whisper sets the rest to motion but she only smiles, pushes the chair aside and uses the uncomfortably warm air in the room to float herself onto the heavy council table. She seems to them an apparition; at least they certainly wish it were so. There is beauty in the deathly visage, the skirt of her gown flutters lazily with the uncomfortably warm air surrounding her. Her toe touches down on the wooden table, the heel like a crack of sound in the utterly silent room. None makes to move, each one calculating- weighing what options they have. The vampires know the Fury is there for their heads.

She notices their rigid poses waver as the hot air grows more uncomfortable. Purposely, she pushes it out, closer to the vampires afraid of fire. Their fear gives her little satisfaction, it isn't enough for what she has suffered but by the end of the night she will have something to appease her. They will all pay…

"I want to know,"

She is rudely interrupted. The vampire closest to her leaps onto the table, the hand striking towards her throat flares- quickly turning into a bubbling mass that ashes. Fury reaches out her finger, the tip just touching on his forehead where she holds the screaming vampire suspended before the horrified audience. The hot waves of air are like a web, an extension of herself of what she has been made.

She isn't blind to the vampire at her back but her focus is on the one dying- his face turning black, crumbling to pieces before the inside is revealed. It's the same as watching a log burn, how it glows in the fire and then the vampire is only floating embers of ash. Fury takes the silver stake – a thin stiletto used to fasten up her hair- it finds a target, pinning the rising vampire to his seat. The chair rocks even as the ash piles on the scorched leather while the vampire already at her shoulder bursts. He doesn't realize a second stake has pierced through the dead flesh and the strike coming at her face is only floating ash and hot air.

No one dares speak, no one moves; they are more afraid of her now than when she first appeared. They have no idea who this woman is; all they have heard are stories from stragglers, hushed whispers of The Fury.

They have made her a legend…

"Once more," she turns and the dark strands float about her face as though she's nothing more than air. They are all caught by the beauty before them, the knowledge of a painful death is certain. "Who is responsible for the death of my family?"

The last members of the council turn to each other, every one of them uncertain of what she means. It fuels her anger and the soft growl draws their attention, fear is prominent in each face hidden by their air of superiority. For her, the vampires in the room are a means to an end, one more step to getting what she wants.

"I don't have to kill you right away." She doesn't raise her voice, the tone just slightly indifferent. There are fireflies dancing in her dark eyes, they mesmerize … Fury shows them the Faustinas memory, the vampire she tortured; his bubbling skin melting, sliding off the bones of his face. The council gasps, each of them appalled and horrified by what she has done to one of their own.

The blond vampire in the white dress becomes her target. Her high piercing shriek startles the vampires on either side of her. She clutches at her head, fingers tearing into her perfectly coifed hair. The pale eyes mist over- red and she screams hissing at Fury, fangs and all.

The vampires scramble, they want to flee however undignified that is because they would rather survive than become another pile of ash on the leather chairs.

The blond vampire's eyes run red with blood; she falls to the plush carpet, the chair rolling away from her convulsing body. Fury kneels at the edge of the table, watching, eyes sparkling almost gold. Looking through the memories of someone else is an intrusion, it's painful but Fury can make them hurt worse and she chooses to do so now. She wants them to hurt, to feel pain; those gut-wrenching, searing, poker in your eye, cut you open and spill your entrails, burn at the stake kind of pain and so much more.

She can see every victim, their pain and fear, how they begged not to die and those that had no voice with which to beg for their lives. It's a long list – bloodshed and terror from the moment of the vampires birth and she is old, one of the few left but there are older ones yet.

The carpet darkens beneath her; the once pristinely white dress soaks up the blood oozing from her pores. The vampires bare their fangs, hiss… they can smell it, the blood beading on her skin as though she were perspiring and Fury is a little surprised to see that; how the vampires body rejects it, expels what they kill for.

She tells herself this is only to scare the others, to make them tell her what she wants to know. It has nothing to do with Hannibal and how easily he'd been ensnared by her beauty because she had been that. A very beautiful vampire, more so than any she has seen yet… And hadn't Hannibal been 'Cabana Boy' to one….?

"What do you want?"

**F**

Jax raises a hand to the Conference room door Lady Daphna had entered over twenty minutes before. He can't touch it and flinches from the heat, hissing at the sting on his palm and sports a frown. He sighs, taking a deep breath and steps away from the door. And this is the reason his brother, Valen and Lady Daphna, worry for him.

"Baanzaaaiiii!"

The idiot jump-kicks the door, the heel of his boot is singed but the door flies open and a wave of searing-hot air blasts him. Jax howls, lands flat on his back and tries covering his face from the licking flames spewing out of the door behind that scorching wind.

"HEY, CUT THE FIRE- WHOA!"

Jax hopes Lady Daphna isn't so into her torture that she ignores him yelling. He likes his good looks and is never shy about saying so.

To anyone.

**F**

"You can't have them back!" The Pallintine screams in his chair where Fury holds him. Her foot slams down harder on his neck restricting his vocal cords. She knows _exactly_ what she can have and right then she wants just a little more of this.

"They're all dead." Her voice whispers and her head tilts slightly, as if in question while her eyes sparkle brighter than before. "Your pure blood members. You're the last one…."

He can hear anger in her words, all the hate in her heart at what they took.

The vampire closes his eyes; he's in pain from the burns she has inflicted all over his body. He's done his best to block her, to stop her from seeing the truth and she's hurt him for the obstruction.

"… You …"

He opens his eyes to the glowing woman they've created, this creature that has only lived to hunt them down. Because of them, because they took her life and everything she loved, _everyone_… they have turned her into this…thing, that only seeks to kill them, that breathes death and hides in the shadows, that has found no peace since.

_'They deserve to die.'_

She sees that again, her child crying- terrified and the fire burns hotter, higher and Fury struggles to get it under control. Flaming out isn't an option, not yet and not with some many humans ignorantly playing in the lobby.

_'They deserve to die.'_

All of them, including the people downstairs, the humans and the Familiars… they're all to blame for her loss, for what she is. And she's responsible for five of those innocents in the building, for Hannibal and his NightStalkers, for Jax… she could curse Dom for insisting she have help.

"You can hold him again." The Pallintine chokes out as her foot eases up just a fraction. "Your son-."

"You _lie!_" she shoves him away, the chair rolling back before it tips over and spills him on the scorched carpet.

"No," he scrambles to get further away from her all the while promising to give her what they've taken.

"HE'S DEAD!" she screams at the vampire, lunging at him where he cowers near the darkened window.

"I'll make you another!" he's practically begging, an old one like him, who never had to fear for anything other than the sun…

"You …_ filthy_ … liar!" she looses what little self control has kept her in check, the fire licks up the walls, riding them like a swarm of sea horses.

"A clone!" because he knows there is no way to return the original. "A copy with all the same memories. We can give you what you want!"

Fury leans down into his face, her eyes sparking and flashing.

"I want you _dead._" It's nothing more than a hiss of breath and he's caught- mesmerized by the beauty of this creature about to end him. The flush of life in her cheeks, a rosy glow and even now he can hunger for a taste of her blood.

_"…clone… make another…."_

_'They wouldn't dare…'_

But they have and the truth is staring back at her from the Pallintine Vampire.

"Who?"

The fire is her only answer, its hissing and crackling while the vampire shrinks away from her and its now, when she gives him a few extra seconds to live…he says nothing.

"WHO!"

In that one moment she can see it clearly, the one who gave the order and she wants to know more-_needs_ to know why, why them, why kill them… and the fire leaps.

The vampire shrieks, voice cutting off as the wave of fire engulfs him completely.

She can feel her head start to pound, blood rushing through her body and it's clear she has no control over the fire. She looks up and spots the Pallintine flailing about. Fury gets to her feet, unaware that she had fallen to her knees and the skirt of her dress is smudged black from the carpet and ash. His hand slams down on her shoulder, a gooey gop of flesh and bone that stains the white silk. Fury pushes him off, both hands shoving on the caving chest. The window breaks and she sends him out into the night with the fire racing after him. It's eager, dragging her along and she watches it consume the Pallintine. When there is nothing but ash left there is nowhere for the fire to go.

A sphere of flames forms, glowing hotter as it spins. She can just imagine what anyone looking up into the night sky sees and must think but it isn't as beautiful from down there… The fire rushes faster. She raises her open hand, eyes sparkling in the burning room. Her fingers slowly close and the ball of flames implodes quietly, the bright flash of light is followed by a strong gust of wind. Its blinding, that flash as it winks out of the night sky…even so she can feel it, that hot rush of air and its strong, it shoves her back, lifts her up an inch or two and she hits the heavy wooden table, the small of her back connecting with the edge…. For a moment there is nothing, no sound, no light, nothing ….

**F**

"Daphna!" Jax scrambles to his feet and stumbles into the ruined room. There's no way the idiots in the lobby didn't feel the building shake. He could care less about them but the vampires will be coming and al he can see is the charred walls, the glowing embers are quickly dying out and then the broken window from which the cloud of black smoke was trailing out of.

What Jax didn't see, what he couldn't find from his spot in the room…

"Holy _SHIT!_" he clutches his head as if he was in pain, eyes bugged out and wide but he can't believe; "She freakin burned out!" he still hasn't moved further into the room. He can't make his legs work because all he's thinking of… well, no. He's not even thinking.

"_Chi sin du…nam zai…_" her voice carries in the eerie silence. Jax shrieks, turns in a half circle wondering if he'll be able to see her or if its just her voice that's left.

"Jax!" Jahnzen clutches the edge of the table; she's getting some feeling back in her legs.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Jax clasps his hands together turning slowly to where he thinks he's heard her voice. "I didn't think you'd really come back to haunt me." Because she has threatened him many a time with doing just that. He stops in mid tirade as he finally spots Jahnzen. She's a mess, hair undone, dress stained with – and he makes a face because he's pretty sure there's vampire remains all over her. "You're glowing?"

Jahnzen takes a slow step towards the dummy and Jax flinches, jumps back and tries for a smile. She isn't amused.

"Uuh…you-you're a-alive?"

She stops in front of him. She looks real enough, solid-

"Ow!"

Jahnzen drops her open hand, the slight frown on her face almost a permanent expression where Jax is concerned.

"That _hurt_!" he exclaims, one hand rubbing at his cheek and the sting she's left behind.

Jahnzen closes her eyes and draws in a breath. The next instant she's heading out the door without a word. Jax quickly runs after her unaware that her patience is in much shorter supply than usual when he is around. Jax falls into step beside her, glances at her from the corner of his eyes before actually facing her.

"Could you-. Maybe," he's got this hesitant little stutter that disappears when she turns those fireflies on him. "Next time. I mean, you know, maybe turn the fire down just a teeny bit?" he pinches his fingers together to illustrate and shrugs.

Jahnzen arches an eyebrow.

"What?"

The slight tilt of her head is read loud and clear. Jax stops.

"Hey! Chic's dig this face!"

**F**


	16. Save the Broken and Dispirited

**Chapter 15: Save the Broken and Dispirited **

**_Trust me now... Collapsing like houses of cards... and landing on splinters and glass..._**

**‡**

It didn't take long to find them. The sound of guns was easy to hear. I sighed remembering the pair I carried. They just didn't feel right in my hand.

"Big bro said you got new toys." Jax piped up next to me. I should've known, these boys were worse than two best girlfriends could ever be, they practically knew everything about each other!

"Come on! Let's see!" Jax whined.

"_Sik si!"_ I hissed though I took the guns from my cuffs. The sparks barely tickled the skin of my wrists.

"Now, why'd you have to say that?" he asked pouting until I shoved the guns at him.

"Ooh!" Jax exclaimed his face lighting up as he reached for them as if it were the day after Christmas Eve.

"Beretta 92FS Vertec pistol with a mini UV flashlight not to mention the other modification." He said pointing out the smaller hole on the left. "That's the camera. We get to eat popcorn and watch the show later! Did he send you those funky bullets?" his face scrunched with the question and at my blank look he continued.

"The holy bullets. Dom said something about holy water and silver nitrate. It's in the hollow tip and some other chemicals." He turned to me looking a bit confused. "You ever meet a Karen? Any way, once the bullets inside you don't wanna be near 'em." He made an expanding motion with his hands while puffing up his cheeks.

"I take it they make a mess." I said turning away from the look on his face. It was one I recognized having seen it every summer from the time he was 6years old. Jax reminded me the most of LingLiu. She had trusted me with her child and **she** in turn had trusted me with the boys. They had stayed with me until I felt they had learned all they could. The boys had better things to do than spend an endless summer isolated and shut up in that big house with me, a woman who couldn't let the past be just that, the past.

"Heh, yeah!" he agreed with a short laugh as he came up behind me. "You forgetting something?" He tapped my shoulder with the butt of a gun. I turned glaring.

"I don't forget. You?"

"Uuh… sorry." He quickly took a step back and followed quietly as we turned another corner. We were closer and the sounds of the gun fight was almost deafening though I could hear **_him_** clearly. Hannibal's voice was un-mistakable even this far off with walls blocking him from view. The knowledge shook my core, I was beginning to notice differences in me and I hadn't realized I had been comparing them.

"No." I pushed those thoughts away and hurried into the fight.

**‡**

I quickly changed aim when I saw her come up behind my target. The vampire registered a look of surprise before its head was completely ripped off. She whipped a chain in her hands and slashed another vampire across the face before stepping in with a right hook. It toppled over backwards, but before it hit the ground JD whipped the chain again and it looped around the vampire's neck. With a quick pull the vampire turned to ash.

"OUT!" she yelled without waiting for them to comply, or even register in their brains anything had been said. She picked up one of the heavy wooden arm chairs that littered the room and threw it at the vampires that were surrounding Abby. The vampires, probably not expecting to be hit with a frigging chair, were taken off guard. Abby took advantage of the small window and put a bullet in each vampire. Ash obscured my view of her, but it was painfully obvious that one of the vampires did _not_ ash when shot.

"What the-?" Abby

"Go!" JD roared as she pushed her towards Andie. "Help the kids." She ordered.

Whatever feeling of cordialness she had for JD just hopped the last train for Tombstone. Abby never takes orders very well. Well, from me at least. Blade, on the other hand, could have ordered her to learn Gaelic and she would have just asked him what dialect.

Now don't think I was just standing there letting the kids do all the work. I mean, why would I let Chris have all the fun while I just sat around watching her- them! Oh, who am I kidding? She looked like she was dancing in a ballet. A ballet that just happened to have been invaded by some pesky bloodsuckers. Sparks suddenly danced into my view as JD dropped a shinning sphere. With a big whoosh the vampire scream and- well, someone just got a clean shot on my face.

**‡**

What the fuck?

"Dad!" I yelled, seeing him being sucker punched in the face. What was his problem? He was constantly preoccupied with- well, her. I grabbed the nearest vampire's head and dug my silver knife deep into his chest. When I felt him turn to ash in my hands I yanked my shotgun off my back and pumped two rounds into the vampire that was now kicking my dad in the stomach.

I put my hand out to help him up but he just waved it away. "Where'd that guy come from?"

"From the fight that you're supposed to be participating in-."

"Bonzaaaiii!!" Figures that jerk would interrupt me. Me and Dad turned to look at Jax who rolled over a table and kicked a vamp attacking Andie squarely in the chest. He then sat on the table, pulled out an insanely shiny gun and quickly shot the other three surrounding her. Then, he had the fucking _nerve_ to saunter over to her and give her a lame, "Heeey."

When she turned towards him she smiled and held her hand up, then they _high fived_? What the hell? I swear to God someone was-.

**‡**

"There are more coming, We need to leave. Now." I pointedly looked at Jax who was pretending not to notice. Out of both boys Jax was the more flirtatious and outgoing, the girls love him.

"_Diu si!"_ I ground out but before I could begin to count his head snapped round and he was all attention. _"Nam Sai…"_ I warned taking a step in his direction. "We have to go, split up."

"We'll take the stai-." Abigail began but Jax seeing my face knew exactly what I meant.

"No." he shook his head cutting her off. He looked the group over calculating. He stopped on Christian making his face again. "I could manage a big one ooor…" He drawled out that syllable turning to the girls with a smile, "two petite brunettes?" he finished hopefully.

"Fine. Just-." I took his arm glancing at the girls before pushing him towards the door. "**Don't** loose them." I warned.

"Na-ah!" he grinned practically jumping with excitement. It only reminded me how young he still was, 20 just wasn't the same these days.

"Meet ya laters!" he shouted already rushing the girls out.

"Hey!" Chris immediately followed after them asking; "Where's he taking my girl?"

I looked to Hannibal but he just shrugged with a smile so I went after the boy.

"**We** go this way." I said taking his arm firmly and pulling him away from the hall were Jax had just disappeared with both girls. The boy opened his mouth to argue and I set my hands on my hips deliberately arching an eyebrow waiting.

I had that look again, the one Slade said no one wanted directed at them and when it was had them jumping to do what I had asked. You'd think I was some evil witch but maybe now I was just evil…

**‡**

I almost had to take a step back. Did Chris, _my_ Chris just give into an order? There was usually at least an argument before he gave in. And that's if he gave in at all!.

But there it was Chris, 6 foot 2 and every bit of 180 pounds of muscle, brimming with testosterone and hormones, quietly accepting orders from a 5 foot 2 brunette woman? With out a fight? I half expected him to kick the ground and say "Aw, shucks lil' missy."

I let a 'What the fuck,' slip.

But it was simply ignored as JD ordered us; "This way," and turned down another hallway. Chris and I hurried to catch up. She was a speedy little woman, even in heels, but our legs are longer, so we caught up rather quickly. But damn, this tux was restricting my movement.

"Where-?"

"They'll be fine," She said as she cut me off. Actually, I don't even think she was listening. I mean, I'm sure she was right, but the least she could have done was listen to my entire question.

As we sped past another hallway I thought I caught a glimpse of a- Yup. More vampires. Three guards began to barrel down the hallway at us.

"We've got company."

**‡**

I turned at Hannibal's words and found myself getting a face full of wall and not just wall I got the corner. Suddenly I was weightless and for a moment everything was gone. There was no light, no sound, no feeling, nothing.

I wasn't dead, yet. Though I can't say it felt any different. When I did manage to open my eyes the first thing I saw was a clawed hand reaching for me.

I wonder what vamps have against cutting their nails. Are they afraid the clippers are going to bite? Long nails were just; ugh!

The vampire hauled me up and though I felt the world spin I did mange to put my fist in his face. He let go and I stumbled falling against the wall and resting there. I watched the vamp ash as the spinning slowed. The throbbing in my head increased and I touched my hand to it feeling something wet.

"Blood." The word stumbled past my numb lips as I looked at the vivid red streak on my fingers. I clenched my hand and looked up.

"You!" I ground out catching the vamp by his neck. He squawked, eyes going wide then he was ash in my hands as they flared. I cut the fire immediately not wanting it to run wild. Instead I touched the cuffs following a set pattern. I didn't have the guns but that's not what I wanted.

"Come here!" a cold hand grabbed the back of my neck and I felt myself go numb. The window shattered and I hit the floor with a heavy thud then a cold weight pressed down cutting off my breath.

I shoved at it, not focusing and somehow managed to get my leg between us. The vamp flew off and I sat up already pulling the sword from my cuff as I got to my feet. The vampire lunged even as the sword arched upwards. The head separated then both parts flared. I turned away intent on helping Hannibal and the boy.

"Hello." He grabbed my arm and pulled me, his other taking my wrist the sword falling from my limp hand. I heard the metal clang dully on the ground as he pulled me up so our faces almost touched.

"Darling."

**‡**

Chris slashed a vampire across the face as King stuck a stake deep in it's chest. Without missing a beat, Chris quickly stuck the knife in the next vampire's neck. King, however, missed his cue and Chris was forced to pull out the knife and shove it through the vampire's chest cavity.

"Dude, what is your problem," He asked, before sheathing the knife and pulling out his shotgun.

"Whowhatme?" King stammered as he received a jab in the face. He quickly recovered, pulling out his nine mil and blasting the vampire in the face.

"It's her isn't it?" Chris probed, shooting two vampires with one bullet.

"No?" King lied, catching a kick to the face from the last remaining vampire. He hit the ground with a thud and Chris picked up his slack, pumping the vamp full of silver nitrate. The ash fell as King once again was offered to be picked up off the floor by his step son. This time he accepted the hand.

"Yeah, it's her." He finally admitted. "I'm just..." he tried to explain, "absolutely mesmerized by her."

A look of pain flashed across Chris' features. "What about Mom?"

King let out a painful sigh. "I don't-." He rubbed his hand across his face before continuing, "She's never going to take Amy's place. I jus- there's something about her I just don't understand."

"That's probably because she keeps fucking disappearing" Chris said, looking around the corner and not seeing JD.

"Bigger problems." King stated, turning around to the sight of a new group of vampires.

Chris simply pumped the shotgun, "Locked and loaded."

**‡**

"YOU'RE DEAD!" I screamed though his grip was cold and firm on my arms.

"I'm here; in front of you." He said shaking me again. I sobbed hiding my face from his. I didn't want to see him, see the glassy sheen of his eyes or the pale skin. I could do nothing about the coldness; he was strong, stronger than a man-.

I knew, had known before- but it wasn't him!

"Jaden Daphna Riven." He hissed close to my ear. I didn't flinch or pull away; there was nowhere I could go.

"You haven't aged, not a single thing has changed." He threw me as if he were displeased. I fell in a heap, my vision blurry, it was harder to breathe.

"How's the old manor?" he asked bending close. I was gasping now. My chest felt as if there were metal bands being slowly tightened. His hand reached out moving my hair. I tried to knock it aside but his fingers closed round my neck. He rose slowly pulling me up.

"You're crying?" he asked with a cold smile. "You still love me?"

Slade. This- thing; wore my dead husbands face and I as I thought of him, _my_ Slade the face before me softened, his eyes warmed and the voice became almost pleading; "Stay with me."

My heart was breaking once more only this time I had nothing; there was no rage to help me fight.

'_Hannibal…'_ my only thought and then; _'HANNIBAL!'_

**‡**

Oh God. I grabbed my head as if it was going to stop the pain that just shot through it. I fell to my knees as ash rained all around me. Everything seemed so far away. I could vaguely feel the vampires begin to pound on me but it was nothing compared to the pain that was snaking its way through my head.

I can not possibly begin to explain the way I knew it was her. I felt her cry, I did not hear, nor did I see it; I felt it, all of it, to the very core of my being.

With an enormous amount of willpower, I pulled myself off my knees and started towards her. I might have yelled for Chris to follow. I can't quite remember. All I know is that he was soon following close on my heels, making sure to turn back towards the surge of vampires every once and while and pump a few full of silver.

How can-, how do I know that she is in trouble? I don't. Do I?

I ran down another hall at full speed, somehow knowing exactly where she would be. But why? No time to wonder. I just had to get there. How can I still be standing, or even breathing after that?

There was so much pain in her, guilt and rage But the pain was worse, so much worse. It took over her completely so that she was numb. Her cry had been desperate, a last attempt to fight. I could feel her grief, hell I could almost taste it. I could empathize because I too had felt this way before, but what made me run like a crazed mad man to the rescue was something different. What pissed me off in a way I couldn't even begin to explain was the fact that she gave up.

She was done.

"Like hell." I said under my breath as I kicked down the door. The vamp threw her against the wall. I knew he was a vamp but I didn't know he was a fucking prick. I rammed the butt of my gun into his face. He stumbled backwards and I emptied my gun into his chest.

He jerked violently with every round but I couldn't make myself stop. Eventually the gun clicked with the empty chamber. Suddenly, the vampire jabbed his fist into my nose. I dropped the gun and brought my hand up to my nose. Goddamn, it started gushing blood and a stinging sensation began to spread to my cheekbones.

"This!?" The vampire raged at her, "You called _this_ to come save you?" He began to advance on her and Chris quickly aimed the shotgun at him. The vampire angrily flung a chair at Chris that hit him across the face. I felt the floor reverberate as he fell and another surge of rage and hit grew in my stomach.

I lunged at the son of a bitch with a left hook. He dodged and countered with a snap-jab. I threw an uppercut that landed cleanly under his chin. A look of surprise washed over his face, and I noticed the tip of JD's Sai poking through his chest. Then, the fucker turned and took a swing at her.

The world was devoid of sound until she hit the ground. I didn't even here the sickening squish as the vampire pulled the Sai out of his chest. When she hit the ground, it sounded as if the whole world had crashed around my ears.

I saw the sword laying on the ground. I quickly snatched it up and swung it at his head. It came off cleanly, allowing me to catch a glimpse of his eyes before they turned to ash.

She was still lying there. I dropped to my knees next to her. She was clutching her neck, and again, somehow I just knew it was bad. I moved a lock of black hair to see blood surging through her fingers. Fear gripped my insides.

"Get out." she whispered hoarsely. She closed her eyes trying to get a breath and a tear slid down her cheek.

"Which way?" I asked already taking her in my arms and standing. She shook her head slowly. Did she honestly think I would leave her behind? "Which way?" I repeated, becoming aware of Chris next to me.

'_The window, Hannibal.'_

Her voice was even softer in my head, almost soothing. I nodded, again, somehow knowing what was going to happen.

"Dad," Chris said, his eyes wide, "Which way?"

"Well," I warned, "You're about to get your first flying lesson."

"What?" Chris shocked.

"Window. Now." I held her tightly as we walked toward the window. Chris shot out the glass. I took a deep breath and jumped out of the Twenty-Eighth floor.

**‡**

**Hi there, We, (WHATtheF n myself) have another chapter for your reading pleasure and maybe now you can leave some reviews…**

**You're probably wondering at all the little things JD says to Jax; It's supposed to be Chinese. I had a friend tell me all the bad words only I don't think that's how you spell 'em so if anyone knows Cantonese "HI!" yeah, don't mind being corrected. Thank You.**


	17. Dead

**Chapter 16: Dead **

**_I feel it growing stronger, I live to die another day, until I fade away._**

**‡**

A flash electrical lightning turned my world white, a roar filling my ears to a deafening degree. And that wasn't even the worst part. A sudden, harsh impact with what I'm assuming was the ground, turned my legs into jelly. I couldn't feel them, I couldn't see, I couldn't hear. But I held onto her. God, I was never going to let her go again.

Which is easier said than done. I hit the grass and she slid from my grip. I coughed with a horrendous amount of pain, barely registering the fact that I could hear again and turned over to my side. I opened my eyes, the colors washing out and then springing back as my sight returned; painfully, I might add. I looked down at my once expensive looking tux. There were parts of it that weren't singed, but they were covered with blood. Awesome; So, I'm not getting the deposit back on the tux.

I heard Chris moan somewhere off to my left. His voice seemed to drip with pain. I felt a tendril of that agony curl in my stomach and make its way to my throat.

I decided to sit up. Bad move, considering every muscle in my body seemed to protest the motion. My eyes seemed to literally fall out of my head. Alright then, focus. I turned my attention to the scenery. We had landed in what I guess used to be a beautiful garden, but now the place was overgrown with weeds. By the stairwell sat a forgotten pool, the water murky and grimy. The courtyard time forgot?

And that's when I saw her; lying motionless a few feet to the right. No! I jumped to my feet as fast as I could. My legs felt like they were filled with sand as I tried to run to her, slipping and sliding on the wet grass. I borderline threw my body over hers, so relieved to feel her skin once more.

"Dad." I stopped suddenly and looked into his face. Something in his features unnerved me; so stony and betraying of his age.

I glanced down at myself. And do you remember that tendril of pain in my stomach that was working through my throat? I had to choke it down when I saw an unmistakable stain spreading across my chest. A stain I had received from her. I quickly grabbed her arm and turned her over, trying to repress the feelings of apprehension and worry. I brushed her hair away and; Dear Jesus, not again!

A wide gash seemed to smile at me from her neck. It was opened down to the bone, leaving the muscles and tendons for me to see clearly; But the blood, oh God the blood.

"Son of a-!" I growled, "NO!"

**‡**

Blood, so much blood. My hands couldn't stop it. I turned her face, desperately wanting her to open those big brown eyes. I her lips were stained with a red you can't buy in a store. A thin line of blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth, leaving a streak down her cheek. Bright crimson. Blood. The vivid color contrasted harshly against her pale skin.

Just seconds ago she had been warm in my arms. Her skin bronzed and glowing flushed with life. Dead. I finally let the thought pass through my mind.

Dead? How could she be dead? She's a fucking fury! And I'm not quite sure what that is, but I'm pretty Goddamn sure they don't just _die_. She burnt down a whole building. She took out council members without help from fuck-up's like me. No, I reassured myself, I was _not_ letting her die on me. Don't fuck this up.

"NO!!" I could still hear my shout echo through the garden. The sound of my own voice snapping in my head, reminding me of the time at hand and how powerless I was to help her, as powerless as those words reverberating through the air.

But, oh, Jesus Christ the blood! I tried desperately to cover the wound with my hands, as if I could simply hold the blood in but I knew that I couldn't and it wouldn't work. I looked around desperately thinking for some odd reason that there would be something useful lying around but there wasn't. Just me. And then with a sudden feeling of ignorance and uselessness, I noticed she wasn't breathing. I gave up trying to hold the blood in her neck and I decided to do CPR like they did on all those movies because that always works. Yes, it does. It works and everyone lives happily ever fucking after.

I laced my hands together and pressed down hard on her chest. One one thousand, two one thousand - Oh, God, I'm losing her! I can feel it! So powerless. I pounded on her chest once more, and then twice, oh GOD I'm losing her!

"She's DEAD!" I heard a familiar voice yell to me. But NO! I pumped her chest once more. I felt Chris pull against my arms. What are you doing? I'm losing her! He was trying to pull me back, his voice growing softer but I don't have time for this! No, no, no, she's still not breathing!

"She's gone."

I lost her. Oh God. All the energy rushed out of my body and I fell over her. How could I not protect you? I cupped her face in my hands. How could I let you go?

Chris laid a hand on my shoulder and I put mine over it. We stood up and I turned to face him. A streak of ash covered his right cheek, a wary look adorning his features. I opened my mouth to speak, but something in those green eyes said he already knew.

**‡**

Jax peered out the double glass doors into the small side garden seeing the bright flash then the sound of lightning confirmed it.

"They're here!" he called over his shoulder to the women who had changed, rested and eaten and were impatiently waiting for the rest of their group to arrive.

He ran to the garden doors, the ones on the other side of the hall because the doors in the solar were jammed, and practically broke the hinges in his hurry to get out.

Jax stopped dead at the top of the tiled stairs and watched in horror as King pounded on Daphna's chest. Blood rushed to his face and before he knew what he was doing Jax ran to the first landing then jumped over the rusted metal railing landing on the grass in a half crouch.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!!" he roared getting to his feet and running over to them.

**‡**

The yell startled me, and forced me to tear my eye's away from Dad's. I turned to see that Jax guy barreling towards me. There was no doubt in my mind who he was gunning for and why. I put my palms up in what I thought was the universal 'hold on we can explain' gesture, but apparently he had never gotten the memo. He pushed me aside with a surprising amount of force. I stumbled to the side, catching a small glance at Abby and Andie running to the stairs.

My feet slid in the grass as I turned to pull Jax away from Dad. Then the little fucker hook kicked me in the face and I went down all the way this time. Hard. Oh my God that guy was gonna get it.

**‡**

"Get the hell off her!" Jax shoved King away harshly and turned his attention to the bloody woman lying on the grass. "Dee?" his voice broke and he quickly cleared his throat. "Daphna." He called again more firmly. Again there was no answer he checked her pulse but her skin was already growing cold and there was nothing-.

Jax hung his head feeling angry. Her blood had stained the white silk and it clung obscenely to her.

"I leave you alone with her for a couple of hours and this is what you do." Jax, his voice oddly quiet and low, said in disgust the anger clearly visible in his voice and set of his shoulders.

King saw him reach his hands under JD and begin to lift her. His anger rose at the implication.

"Don't you _dare_ blame this on me. I tried. But that vampire-."

"There's always a vampire!" Jax shouted struggling to hold Daphna up.

King shoved his way through Jax's hold and took her from his arms with a stony glare on his face. Jax calmly tilted his head to the said.

"She's gonna be pissed." he declared with a satisfied smirk.

"Yeah, a pissed of dead chick. I'm shaking." Abby said from the foot of the stairs. Jax turned to her, his face shuttered.

"That's Chinese silk my great-grandmother gave her. Not some fucking imitation rayon lace ensemble they sell in stores now." He stared a moment before motioning for King to follow. King blinked, pulling his mouth shut. He tried to decipher what the kid was talking about, Jesus, she just _died_. Finally he gave up and calmly followed Jax up the stairs and down a long hallway to a nicer part of the manor.

"Not all of you." Jax said turning to the group. "Just him." He pointed at King who carried Daphna. The others frowned not liking his attitude but being respectful nonetheless. After all, 'Lady Daphna' was dead.

"VALEN!!" Jax bellowed down another hall then turned leading King to a set of dark wooden doors engraved with a fancy trellis design.

**‡**

"What happened?" Abby asked. Chris could tell she had been itching to ask him that for a while. She was sitting on an antique looking couch, with wooden arms and overstuffed cushions. Chris just looked at her, a ghostly look on his face. He shook his head slowly, his mouth forming a grim line. Andie crossed the room with a towel and a pitcher of water for the basin next to him.

"Well?" Abby chided. Chris shrugged. Sooner or later, right?

"So after we left you, we were following JD." Chris began. Andie started to pour the water into the basin, steam crawling upwards from the porcelain. "We got stopped by some vampires, so naturally we went to work, right? We polished of the whole gang of cocksuckers and surprise, surprise, JD had up and vanished."

"Where'd she go?" Abby asked eagerly. Andie handed Chris the towel. He took it from her with a transparent smile and started to clean his face off with the warm water.

"I really couldn't tell you. But Dad, he moved through those halls like he just _knew_. We got stopped again, and everything was fine until…" He stared at the alternating gray and crimson streaks now decorating the towel.

"Until?"

"He just freaked out. Dad did. He looked like something was just ripping apart his insides. Then he takes off running, so I covered him. We end up in this room, and the vampire in there is just throwing JD around like a rag doll. Dad went in after her and; This guy, he could fight. Him and Dad were throwin' down hardcore. But then Dad picked up that huge ass sword of JD's and loped the fuckers head off. And then, well, then we went flying. Ended up here. With JD, uh, dead."

"You flew?" Abby asked, a hint of confusion filling her voice.

"JD just fucking died, Abby." Chris snapped, his voice catching a gravely tone. Abby, hung her head. She may not have particularly liked JD but she could appreciate her skill as a hunter. And King's feelings towards her.

Andie smiled reassuringly at Chris, wiping away a spot of ash on his bottom lip. "So what took ya'll so long to get here?" She asked.

Chris raised a dark eyebrow, a classic 'huh?' moment.

"We've been here for a day, Chris."

This time Chris' eyebrows hit his hairline. A day, what day?

"Where the fuck are we?"

**‡**

**Getting you all to review is like pulling teeth! What, dontcha like the story? I know there were 16 of you reading this chapter. Drop us a REVIEW!**


	18. I know what I want

**Chapter 17: I know what I want **

**_I feel it growing colder, I knew this day would come to end, so let this life begin._**

**‡**

It was cold. A light breeze passed over me, a window was open. I remembered the fight, Hannibal taking me up and heading to the window. Sounds were muted but I felt the cool air on my bare back as he jumped out. 28 stories we dropped only I knew it wouldn't be 28. There was only the three of us after all, nothing I couldn't handle, then again I was bleeding out fast.

The lightning flashed bright and painful against my eyes and the echo of it reverberated through my body. Numb as I was I still felt it then there was nothing. No feeling, no light, no sound and I was weightless.

Dead.

**‡**

"Where's King."

Jax flinched, not hearing Abby come up behind him. He calmly resumed cleaning out his 'toys'. They were spread out in front of him on an old mahogany table. Abby started to tap her foot impatiently. Jax rolled his eyes. _Apparently_, Abigail was not leaving. He finally turned to face her, the fact that he was still pissed off very evident.

"Not here." He answered, tilting his head to look closer at her; assessing her. "You look for him in _there_ already?

Abby's eyes hardened and she set her mouth into a grim line.

"Hm. Take that as a nooo." Jax added curtly before turning back to his weapons, a look of nonchalance on his face. His hand automatically reached for a CZ compact 9mm lugger in black and began taking it apart. There was a silver chrome baby eagle and a sub compact XD pistol with the UV adaptor. Not to mention the silver stakes, his silver dagger and a short blade type sword, though where he was gonna carry that…

Abby closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _'Don't kill him now.'_ She turned on her heel and exited the room more frustrated and angry than when she came in. She and Andie had now been there for three days. Let's just say they were fighting a small bout of 'cabin fever'.

The only sound in the desolate halls were her boots hitting the floor. She swung open door after door after door searching for King.

Abby knew that King was taking this whole thing hard. She knew that he was beating himself up for not being able to protect her. But Jax's accusations were only making it worse. And Abby had seen first hand what these kinds of accusations could do to King. He had sat out side her door since they had arrived, only recently letting Chris take him to get cleaned up.

Judging by what Chris had said and what she had seen, the vampire practically ripped her throat out with a single blow. This made no sense at all. The fury, Lady Daphna, JD, whatever they were calling her today, was downright deadly. She could burn down a building or take out an entire lobby full of vampires without breaking a sweat but it takes one - just **_one_** vampire to kill her. Where does that fit in the picture.

But I'll tell you what doesn't fit into the picture. A huge, shaggy mutt. This _dog_ raised its head to stare at her. Abby cocked her head to the right and stared back. Suddenly, it rose to its hind legs like a human.

Werewolf.

**‡**

I heard the door close quietly behind me. Her scent, even the sound of her soft footsteps; I knew. I knew she was here, with me.

I turned slowly, wanting to hear her voice. Needing to hear the soft, soothing tone of her words.

She stood with her back to me. Her hand was on the doorknob, the metal creaking as she began to turn it. Already leaving me. Running away. Again.

"You finally decide to join the living?"

**‡**

I froze my hand on the cool metal latch and just tried to breathe. I had been unsure about coming here, seeing him. What was I going to say? How was I going to explain… what?

'Thank you' didn't seem to cover what he'd done and 'Sorry' just didn't **_begin_** to excuse all my mistakes or the trouble I had caused. But that's what I had come to say, at least, that's what I told myself.

**‡**

"JD." Her name passed over my numb lips like a pleasant drink. She turned her midnight black waves of hair loose and flowing down her back. My hands twitched. I wanted to touch it, run my fingers through it, pull her close-

"Jaden Daphna Riven." She corrected, her voice flowing over me like a soothing balm. I didn't hear myself sigh, but God knows I could have.

"This is Riven Manor. It was my home." She said as she paced the room slowly. I still wasn't sure if I was dreaming. It wouldn't be the first time she had strode into my dreams.

I took the leap of faith. "What?" I asked JD, or what might just be a hallucination.

I sat down on the old fashioned couch. I hadn't seen much of the manor, aside from a few hallways, her room, and this one. Chris had taken me here to rest, not that I could. I kept re-living that moment back in the building. If I had just come in sooner, if I had just gotten her away from him, if I'd saved her… if, if, if if if! My life was full of fucking IF'S!

"Hannibal." Her voice brought me back from my own mind. A dangerous place if I do say so myself. My hands were fisted on my knees, the knuckles white as ivory.

"What is this?" Was that my voice? It sounded hoarse to my own ears, like I had been yelling for hours.

"Hannibal-."

"A dream? A hallucination?" My eyes widened. "You are totally haunting me aren't you? Ha. Not even spirits can keep away-."

"No, Hannibal. I'm alive."

What the fuck?

"Alive?" I said with a gasp. She looked at the skepticism on my face and smiled. What the fuck is going on here?

"There are some things you should know."

"Well, yeah! No fucking kidding. I think- knowing and- fucking yeah!" Words jumbled in my mouth and wouldn't quite pass my tongue right. I guess coherency is a little overrated when someone comes back from the fucking dead. God, sometimes I can be such a fucking doofus.

**‡**

I took a deep breath wondering if he would- how could I-. No. No, I couldn't soften this or make it easy, not if I wanted to know the truth. If my past was too much for him to handle and he ran then I wanted him to run fast and hard with no intentions of ever coming back or searching for me.

Allies, Dom wanted me to have allies but I-. What was the point when all this was causing was trouble. **_This_**, this was complicated; it was difficult so why did I want it? Why did I push it away?

"This isn't the first time I've died. It's happened before and, like now, I don't stay dead."

He just stared at me from his seat. His eyes following me as I paced uncomfortably in the sitting room. My hands smoothed the turquoise silk over my arms while my fingers plucked at the embroidered sleeves. I had chosen this one; the cherry blossoms flowed through the turquoise color as if on water down the length of the neckline across the sleeves until they faded on the skirt.

"When I told you what I was, what happened-." I had to look away from him; his look was hurt, accusing all because I was alive? No. it was because I had lied.

"It hurts. Every time. I don't know why- I'm not like you Hannibal." I turned to him stopping in the middle of the room. I might as well get this over with, let him run, I could've easily had Jax take them home. I didn't have to see him, talk to him; but I wanted to.

"I don't age…normally. I'm stronger than any man or vampire. I don't scar even when I burn. I could kill you with a thought and never have to see you to do it. I-."

**‡**

I blinked hard, trying to take all this in. JD raised her arm and the huge wooden table to my left began to levitate. When it got a foot off the ground it splintered with a loud crack. The pieces began to spark and burn before they hit the ground.

Holy fuck. There was nothing left of that table. Absolutely nothing. I couldn't help but stare at her, open mouthed. I motioned to where the table had been.

"That's a neat trick. Any reason you didn't pull that out of the Barney Bag back at the high rise?"

"Because it was Slade."

Oh. Okay. Like I know what the fuck that's supposed to mean.

**‡**

He was full of questions and now that he wasn't running away like I had planned, like I'd thought he would and deep down hoped he wouldn't I had to answer.

"It was Slade up there. I saw him downstairs. He pulled me onto the dance floor when I was telling you about the vampires." I could see him begin to think, remembering.

"You were married to _him?" _the look on his face was nothing but loathsome. You'd think I had married some kind of monster. Oh, maybe that's not a good example.

"Yes. He was a brilliant scientist but he lacked the funds to properly continue with his research. I couldn't provide the money, father-."

"Daddy cut the money." He nodded as if he truly understood what happened so long ago. It made me angry that he would make this some unimportant thing as if it didn't matter any more.

"He cut Slade out of my accounts. He must've known somehow- it doesn't matter. Vampires came offered him money and he was off to work. He asked for my help and though I'm no scientist I thought I could help. Just being there was enough for me. I didn't expect to actually participate. Then they brought the volunteers." I had to stop. Was I actually going to tell Hannibal? By the look on his face I knew he wouldn't let me off, not without knowing this.

"What volunteers, JD?" his tone of voice made it clear there would be no omitting accepted of any details.

"There were vampires and before you begin yelling about the stupidity of that I didn't know." He closed his mouth though he was obviously not happy. It was a bit disconcerting how I knew his moods just by the look on his face.

"It didn't work. They got tired of waiting and came back for what they were owed only Slade didn't give it to them." This was getting harder by the second.

"What?" he had that stony look on his face but I just-. This was mine.

"Jaden, what?" he asked only this time he wasn't harsh. I shook my head and put set myself apart from the memories. This was just a story, something that couldn't have happened and if it had then it had happened to some one else.

**‡**

In the blink of an eye her demeanor did a one eighty. It was like someone else inhabited her body. Someone cold. Someone distant. Someone I didn't like.

"When Slade didn't comply they took us away. I was put in the tank and even then he wouldn't give in. He kept telling them it didn't work that it was a failed experiment. Vampires- then they brought him in. Efren."

This cold woman did not miss beat. Listing it off as if it were just directions to her new refrigerator. No emotion passed her voice. I mean, this was her kid for God sakes and not a shred of pain tinged her voice. A cold, mechanical voice coming from JD's lips.

"They bled him even as he screamed for me. He cried, scared. There were too many and Slade-. I don't know what he thought, whether he wanted to try one last time or if he meant for me to die as well."

She didn't even flinch as she told me about the heartless bastard. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve her son. He didn't deserve to breathe. He had let them die, and for what? What did he accomplish? At least I tried. I tried to save them with every breath in my lungs. Even though I was blind sided by them, weaponless and outdated, I fucking tried and everyday I had to live with that because-

"I don't remember the explosion or after; Just LingLiu and her husband. They took me to China and that's were I stayed."

I rubbed my eye with the heel of my hand, trying to process the information. I almost laughed. I was finally getting the explanation I had been praying for, who was I to complain that I couldn't understand it.

"I'll have Jax take you back." She said, already turning to leave.

I had been thinking about this for two days. I had lain awake wondering what if. What if she was alive? But this wasn't an if. She **_was_** here and she was breathing and- Well, that's the moment I made up my mind. I decided to finally get what I wanted

"Jaden" I called. She paused, her back still to me. Maybe she didn't like me saying her name. Maybe she just knew what I was going to say. She could be reading my mind this fucking second and was already thinking of the words to shoot me down gently. Her name. Jaden Daphna sounded so light and feminine, but you cut those short and you have JD. **_My_** JD. God**_damn_**, a sexy girl who doesn't mind getting down and dirty. Add that to the fact that she has a hot guy sounding name and who the hell was gonna complain? Not fucking me! Jesus, it was driving my brain into overdrive-

"I don't hunt them all." JD's soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She stood with her hand lying on the back of a chair. Her head was hung, the thick hair falling around her face.

"You hunt." I stated, already moving closer.

"Only to find those responsible." She explained.

"And after?" I finally asked that million dollar question. This was the loaded question, the one that was gonna make or break me. But I had to ask. I had to know.

"I-." She began, with a hint of uncertainty in the lilt of her voice. Her hand slid off the back of the chair, falling awkwardly to her sides. It was clear that she hadn't thought past her revenge. Maybe she simply didn't know what she wanted-. Before I knew it the words came out and;

"I know what I want."

**‡**

I could see he did and that scared me. What did I want? What was I going to do after this? After I had avenged them? I had lived this way, feeling this, for such a long time I could barely remember what life had been before any thing had happened, before I became- this.

I glanced at Hannibal and noticed the sweater. He was close enough o touch and my hand automatically reached for him. I had knitted this for Slade but it had been two sizes too big so he'd never worn it. On Hannibal- it was as if I had known.

The yarn felt soft under my fingers then his arms went around me so gently. Again I felt at peace, it would be so easy to stay like this let the world fade away but could I forget?

His hand cupped my face turning it to his. Hannibal's lips were on mine, softly, before I could say a word. Everything felt so familiar, there was no awkwardness, no uncomfortable positioning, it was as if we'd always been like this, in each other's arms, together.

"No-." I pulled away feeling the past begin to intrude. How could I let this happen when they were dead? "Not here, Hann-."

"Right here." He said firmly. His eyes spoke volumes and before I could make another protest he kissed me again only this time it wasn't just a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest. This time I felt my whole body tremble and the butterflies in my stomach seemed to be doing some insane acrobatics.

**‡**

**Another chapter done and y'all cant review...**

**Well, enjoy this one and the next one cuz WHATtheF has been working hard to fill in my blanks. Not to mention neglecting her own fic. **


	19. Family First

**Chapter 18: Family First**

**_You come along and brighten my day. Everyone knows that you kill the thunder warring in my brain, its giving me the strength to see right through the haze…_**

**‡**

I jerked out of his arms at the sound. It didn't scare me I was just surprised to hear it so close.

"What-?" But I placed a gentle hand over his mouth. I stared at the closed doors seeing the entire Manor laid out before me. I looked through every hall and then-.

**‡**

JD tore out of my arms and began to sprint through the hallway before I could even blink. What the hell just happened? I mean, _finally_ we were- and then she was- but then- and WHAM! Now she's gone.

"JD!" I yelled after her. Then I found myself running down hallway after her, again. Actually, I was getting kind of used to this whole chase thing. I mean, I don't know what I'd do if she stood in one place while I was trying to talk to her. I yelled her name again and she turned around and looked at me with what can only be described as a death glare.

"If you **don'**t then I **will**." She said before running down the hall again.

Wait, what? I considered asking her but decided against it when she started trying to kick a door in. Well then, thanks for the information, honey.

**‡**

"Abby!"Andie yelled to me. I rolled to the left and the clawed hand drove into the hardwood floors next to me. As the beast tried to yank it's hand out of the floor I hurried to my feet.

"'m going to kill him!" I roared, shoving a heavy wooden bench at the beast. Jesus! The one time I don't have my weapons! King used to make fun of me when I walked around the hideout with my bow on my back and a gun on my hip. _Apparently_, being prepared is _hilarious_. But no, now all I have is the shirt on my back, some ripped jeans and my boots. And I don't think that's going to kill a fucking werewolf.

_Jax led them to a large bedroom and passed them each a towel. Andie swayed slightly to the side, desperately trying to keep herself awake._

"_It'll take a while," he informed them, "Been a long night so, rest up. Make yourselves at home." He let out a large, obviously fake yawn, not-so-slyly looking each of the girls over. "Anyone up for a slumber party?" He asked with a meaningful wink._

_Abby looked sideways at Andie, who replied with a real yawn. Abby returned her gaze to Jax, her stony expression enough of an answer._

"_Eh, too tired myself." He waved his hand and began to leave the room. "You can leave you're weapons in the armoire. You won't need 'em, it's safe here."_

"Fucking kill him!" I repeated, hiding behind the big heavy couch.

"Who?" Chris asked, grabbing a long piece of debris from the broken furniture and swinging it at the beast.

"Jax!" Andie answered for me as she threw an expensive looking vase from a shelf from the other side of the room. It missed the beast, crashing against the wall and tinkling into millions of tiny little pieces. The werewolf turned to Chris and launched itself at the boy. He threw his hands up but it was no use. He hit the floor hard, the beast landing heavily on top of him.

Andie yelled his name and began to hurdle the broken furniture in her way. She was too far to do anything and I knew it but the kid wasn't about to let that stop her. Barehanded or not she was coming to his aid. And let me point out the fact that a plan like that is made of disaster.

I, on the other hand was quickly looking for something to use as a weapon. My eye fixated on the unused fireplace and the perfectly arranged set of utensils. They weren't silver but if I hit the right spot…

**‡**

I pushed the doors open dreading what I would find and had to shove harder. I could hear wood splintering and though the wooden doors were old they still held.

"Stop this at once!" my voice echoed through the room like a clap of thunder. The younger girl, Andie, fell back in shock covering her ears with both hands. Christian still struggled beneath Bane who was snarling threateningly at him. The boy was scared and he had a right to be then again Bane had the right to defend himself as well. Between them I knew who would emerge victorious. Then I saw the flash of silver. Before the blade went any where near Bane it fell through Chris's hand like sand. Then I had to put a wall in front of Abigail as she came up behind Bane with the poker. She hit it hard falling on her ass, the heavy poker clattering to the floor.

"What the hell is that!?" Hannibal recoiled from the sight but he didn"t try and interfere even though his son was being used as a door mat by Bane.

"Chris…"

"How **_dare_** you!" I spoke softly though the anger in my voice carried to each one.

"The fuck is going on?!" Chris exclaimed pushing Bane's paw off his chest.

"How- but I saw you- and all the blood." Andie, I could tell was having a hard time making sense of this but at the moment I didn't care, they had no excuse for this.

"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK HIM" I raged and Bane padded to my side. I felt his nose nudge my trembling hand and whimper.

"How dare we attack something trying to kill us?!" Abigail yelled barely able to get up. I could have made it worse; I could have sent her flying into the wall. My hand twitched with the thought but I knew she'd have the bruises to remind her of this day.

"JD." Hannibal moved closer but at Bane's growl he edged towards my right as far from the bared fangs directed at him.

**‡**

A fucking werewolf. I half expected a unicorn to come gallivanting into the room with the tooth fairy on it's back. You know, JD was loaded. There was no reason not for her to just, I don't know, go out and buy a _real_ dog. But no. True to her form she had to have a fucking werewolf. He was crouched by JD's right leg. Actually, it looked like he was holding onto her leg, just at the knee. When I finally ripped my gaze away from the ridiculous, if not completely absurd, scene I brought my gaze up to JD and- Jesus Christ, she was glaring at _me_.

"They attacked him-." She began through her teeth, only to have Chris, Andie and Abby all cut her off at the same time. Do you know how hard it is to follow four people talking at the same time?

"…he was going to tear Ab-."

"…he was chasing…"

"… it's not like I had a gu-."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Whoa. JD's outburst shocked us all. Personally, I was more surprised to hear her swearing but what the hell was the reason. Because her little doggie here attacked everyone in the room? A sudden bang from the hallway heralded the arrival of-

"Wh- Wha- What 'appen?" Jax stuttered, still standing in the open doorway, panting from the run. I ignored him and tentatively approached JD.

"Alright, easy, hun. I'm sure there's a very good exp-."

"I don't want to hear their excuses!" She yelled, looking at me with hurt and betrayal in those big brown eyes, her lips slightly pouty and with all the-.

"This mess…" JD waved her hand around the room but I wasn't paying attention. Oh, come on and focus you idiot.

"I don't care about the broken furniture or the cracked walls but I will **_not_** tolerate any of you attacking my family!"

I cocked an eyebrow. That was an interesting revelation. I mean, I've heard of people who dress up their dogs and give them last names and all that crap but- this? I didn't think that the canine monstrosity constituted as family.

"You." She fixed her glare on Chris, who was standing in front of her. He towered over her and yet I knew she was about to box him ears.

"This is how you behave?" She asked with an accusatory shade coloring her voice. Chris' thought pattern was evident all over his face. He set his jaw, the muscles visibly clinching and the vein in his neck began to throb. Well, that's really fucking shitty. The last thing we needed was for him and JD to get in a showdown ending with a crispy Christian.

I flung my hands in the air, making as big of a distraction as I could. "Why don't we-."

"You obviously **_won't_** so **_don't_**." She said, aiming another glare at me. Chris' hands were balled into fists at his sides and he opened his mouth before being interrupted.

"Family?"Andie piped up from the corner. She shoved a few random pieces of furniture out of her way. The little hell cat was moving intently toward JD, her lips pressed together and her eyes radiating frustration.

"You may not place the same value-."

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW?" She yelled, already flushed and trembling with anger. JD's face went blank, just like before. And I didn't like it any more than I did the first time. There was no way to tell what she was going to do behind that mask.

"I'll tell you what you don't know!" She raged, "You don't know **_me_**. So you don't fucking tell me that I don't value family! This is my family! They-."

A menacing growl filled the room as Andie continued to move towards JD. Even though JD was holding the werewolf's mane I simply didn't trust that it was gonna stay put. And Andie? She was about to get physical.

"Okay!" I stepped between them quickly, and jammed my hand over Andie's mouth, glancing meaningfully at Chris. "Let's all take a little breather and- mother fucker!"

"Next time I'll take the whole fucking hand King!" Andie screamed as Chris threw her over his shoulder.

"Put me the fuck down or I swear to God-." She yelled, pounding on his back as he brushed past Jax on the way out. Andie was still ripping Chris a new one as they made their way down the hall. How do I know? Because the girl is _loud_. Jax stared out the door after them, curiously scratching the back of his head. Mental wheels were turning. He finally turned back to JD.

"What happened?" He asked, receiving nothing resembling an answer. "Lady D?"

JD patted the big ass dog on the head and he sniffed her hand before padding over towards Jax. The kid promptly flicked the dog on the nose, ignoring the pair of jaws that snapped dangerously close to his hand

"I'll handle this, Jax."

"Handle it? No one will even tell me what happened." He griped, pushing the hell hound like an annoying younger brother. With a growl, the jaws that I previously mentioned fastened themselves to the seat of his pants. "Valen Bane! Ahh! You dick, let go!"

I swear to God I think the dog rolled it's eyes.

"Uhm, nice dog. Personally, I was always a Pomeranian man but…" I trailed off as I noticed Abby and JD staring daggers at me. Only a man as talented as**_ I_** can manage to piss off **_three_** women and get bit by one of the aforementioned ladies in a matter of fifteen minutes. It's because I'm a pro.

**‡**

Andie was unceremoniously dumped onto the foot of the king sized four-poster bed. She bounced up into a sitting position and kicked Chris in the thigh.

"God_dammit_ Andie." He hissed, rubbing the spot.

She just stared at him, angrily crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look don't get angry with me just be-."

"Just because you treated me like a fucking Neanderthal? Sorry, but I'm not so into the 'me caveman, you prize' shit."

"No," Chris tried to explain. Trying to comfort her, he reached out to touch her shoulder. Andie smacked his hand away without so much as a glance. "Fuck Andie! _I_ didn't say it!"

"And you didn't give me a chance to defend myself against it did you?" She asked, hurriedly standing up in front of him.

"You're right, fucking pardon me for not wanting you to be the accelerant in the next Lady Daphna bonfire." He answered, holding up his right palm.

She stomped her foot and glared up at him. Chris tried once more to smooth things over. "Look, Dad thinks she's alright and that's enough for me."

"And yet she was being completely derogatory towards you and you don't think that's a little out of line? Grow a fucking backbone, Chris." Chris stumbled backwards as Andie shoved him to punctuate the last few words.

Chris clinched his jaw tightly, the vein slowly beginning to pulsate in his neck. "Okay," he said, his voice insanely calm, "Maybe Jax has some backbone he could show you."

Andie knew that she was goading him into this. She knew she needed to slow up and talk him down. But with that accusation and the ordeal with JD, Andie was in no mood to let it go. "Oh, come on Chris. He is not the first horndog that's looked my way."

"No, but the first one you looked back at."

"Just because you're feeling insecure doesn't mean I'm cheating on you. When was I gonna do that, huh? In between the vampire killing, the werewolf attack, and the living dead?"

"I don't know, you tell me!" He yelled. Without missing a beat Andie reached up and grabbed his face, pulling him down to her level.

"There is _nothing_ to tell." Andie stated in voice that left no question. "Now, look at me. Take a deep breath. You're fine. We're both a little worked up, that's it."

Chris stared into her eyes and complied, letting all the pent-up aggression he could with the air in his lungs. A smile flickered at the corner of his mouth and he grabbed Andie by the waist and picked her up. Andie gave him a knowing smile before he pulled her into a long, rough kiss. She dug her fingers into his hair before using it to pull his head back and break the kiss, prompting a deep growl from the back of his throat.

"All that aggression could be worth something, eh?"

I headed back to the room cursing King in every language I could remember. I might have even made up a few. I began to pull my weapon's out of the armoire, laying them out on the bed.

"Safe my ass!" I yelled to no one in particular. I pulled the ruined shirt off my body, wincing as the cotton swiped by a claw mark on my right side.

"Fucking-! Yeah, I'll calm the fuck down when the owner puts that mutt on a **_Goddamn leash._** Or maybe when the **_owner_** is on a fucking leash-."

I cut my rambling short as I noticed pieces of light soaked dust floating through the room. It was daylight. The sun was shining and it was day time.

So what the fuck was a werewolf doing in daylight.

**‡**

"You still upset?"

I didn't bother answering him or turn around. It had been quiet in the gazebo the air cooling as the sun set. And he wasn't going away. Now that I knew that **_I _**didn't know what to do. It was very clear **_his_** family came first not that I expected it to be different, I wasn't stupid.

My life on the other hand that was about to change, it was going to get that much more complicated.

"Jaden… Daphna… Jaden…" he repeated my name testing it out almost like a child. What was I thinking? He is a child! And as such I found myself softening towards him.

I felt him slip his arms around my waist and I let him hold me feeling peaceful again. I sighed resting against his chest comfortably. Both of us were quiet watching the sun set.

"He's human."

"Who?" his voice sounded sort of dreamy and it made me smile.

"Bane." At that he stiffened for a moment before I felt him take a breath and force himself to relax. The confrontation in the Manor hadn't been pleasant especially for him.

"I found him in the woods. He was dirty, bruised and bleeding. His clothes were torn and he was barefoot. He could barely walk let alone fight though he put up a good pretence." I smiled remembering the little boy I'd found so many years ago. Alone in a cold darkened forest with out food or water and still trying to be ferocious.

"I've never seen any one like him, Hannibal." I turned my head trying to look at him. I wondered if maybe he knew some one who had or maybe he…

"Well, I've never seen another human dog either."

"No, I mean I know what he looks like. He's not a werewolf." I turned in his arms placing my hands on his chest. He was so tall I had to lean back to look at him.

"Let me show you?"

I felt uncomfortable asking after what I had done. Besides, this was breaking rule No.1. He arched an eyebrow and it seemed we stood there for hours before he barely nodded. I smiled softly at him to let him know this wasn't going to be unpleasant. This was a beginning, he was giving me just a little…

"Look."

**‡**

Well, I never was one to disregard a direct order, so I looked into her eyes. You know, just to oblige her wishes. God, I could drown in those eyes and not even care. Then the air began to squeeze out of my lungs and I really felt like I was drowning. I changed my mind. I don't want to drown in her eyes anymore! I take it back!

God must have realized I didn't mean it literally because suddenly I could breathe again and the pressure fell away from my throat. Then I noticed I was no longer in the gazebo. The knee high grass I stood in was bathed in moonlight. The sun was gone. The sun was gone and so was she.

I opened my mouth to call for her when a small howl seeped through the night. I pulled my gun and cocked the hammer back, heading towards the trees the sound had emanated from. I scanned the dark woods, seeing the leaves shiver from the wind. Only there wasn't one. I didn't feel it.

Then the trees and shrubs faded like mist. Like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. Only this was fucking _real_. No lame ass special effects or George Lucas here. Then I noticed her kneeling by a fallen log. She set her bow down, trying to coax something out of the hallowed end of the log. I could barely hear her but I _know_ that she wasn't speaking English. Her voice was soothing and soft. If she was tying to coax me out of anything I would've been running into her arms. Pretty soon a little fuzz ball of a pup came out, sniffing at her hand

I lowered my gun and watched the pup inch out and onto her lap. He whimpered pitifully as she stoked his matted fur.

Now, to answer any questions about what is about to happen: Yes, I was there. Yes, I saw the entire thing. No, I don't know what fucking happened. And judging by her expression she was thinking the exact same thing

So here's what I do know: It was a kid! A fucking kid-boy! A boy! That was much was obvious. It's not like he was wearing a stitch of clothing to hide the fact. Ripped clothing my firm, white ass! He was practically naked, covered in dirt and blood. If this was the beast back at the Manor, fuck. We need to sharpen our skills because the kid _might _be five or six.

Then the drowning feeling resurfaced and the scene in the woods melted away. The gazebo came into focus and I could see the setting sun had burned the sky orange, red. Streaks of violet cut across the clouds.

"Another neat little trick. Ever consider Vegas?"

She shrugged. I hadn't noticed it before, but apparently I had let her slide out of my grasp. Well, we couldn't have that, could we? Now that we knew how we felt about each other I wasn't about to let her go far. I stole a glance at the big pillows covering the wooden floor. Lightbulb!

I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down with me as I fell. She made some sort of ridiculously cute sound. Something like a gasp, or a squeal. Either way, that wasn't the point.

"You could ask." She huffed, though I must say she was making herself pretty damn comfortable in the crook of my arm.

"No. I have _awful_ manners." She snuggled closer to me, draping her leg over mine and laying her head above my heart. I closed my eyes as I took in the smell of her hair and before I knew it, I was smiling. Like a teenager with his first girlfriend. How long has it been since I was this relaxed?

"Have you?" she asked. I knew what she meant but I just couldn't help myself.

"What? Made out with a girl in a gazebo?" I shook my head 'No' as I ran my fingers through her hair. "This is a first."

"I-." she began but ended with a sigh and moved her hand higher on my chest.

I was beginning to notice she wasn't at all how I'd thought. She was obviously raised to be a refined young lady back when aristocracy and social status meant absolutely everything. Such elegance can be taken as snobbishness. And I was guilty of thinking so, but I was learning. She doesn't say much, but when she does it sounds so pretty I don't know how I could ever listen to anything else. And this guilt. This boulder she was carrying on her back that she didn't deserve, makes her look melancholy and downtrodden.

Until some vampire pisses her off and then it's all fire and brimstone.

Those are the sides of JD. Jaden Daphna; And I liked every one of them.

**‡**

**Beutiful if I do say so myself and of course I do bc none of u can say it to us. 'US' being WHATtheF and myself.**


	20. Lonely

**Chapter 19: Lonely**

**_Beyond these clouds you can hide all your tears beyond this world you'll be safe from their wicked fears and in their hearts they feel your demands you know their minds wont accept you they'll never understand..._**

**‡**

I was alone, the empty Manor echoing like a hollow shell as I made my way through the halls. I passed by the broken down areas stopping here and there in rooms I had avoided for so long. Why now? Why did it have to be today when he was leaving, going back to his life. How could I have been foolish enough to think he would stay behind?

The vampires were leaderless and they would be fighting amongst themselves trying to get control. More would die but not all of them and that's where the NightStalkers came in. It wasn't just that, his family… they needed him too and so did he. I wasn't part of that; I knew it and I felt just a little ache at that knowledge.

Did I want that? All their bickering, the yelling, arguments; they all carried a burden heavier than their years and though they loved each other it still tore them apart at times. Here-.

"Where…" my voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling and the chipped plaster walls. I noticed the color had faded to a light pinkish orange and the floor was gritty beneath the heel of my shoes. I hesitated; stopping in the center and slowly turning- this is where I had been going the whole time.

"The Music room."

**‡**

I was leaving. Something I promised myself I wasn't going to do. I promised myself that this time I was going to get what I wanted. But I couldn't. My family couldn't stay here. And they were right. We had work to do. Work we pledged we would do. As much as I would like to be with JD, I just could not sit around on my ass knowing that there were more people getting turned by the hour.

But I wasn't about to leave without seeing her one last time. Without saying goodbye. It was something that I was not looking forward to, because of her. She was the one thing that made me think I could give up this life and that scared me.

"Shit, this house is fucking huge." I grumbled. It finally hit me that this may take more than a few minutes. That's when I heard it.

It was mournful and more than a tad unnerving. Add that in with the fact that this house is fucking huge and the whole thing just made my skin crawl. Think Overlook Hotel and redrum, if you get my drift. I swear to God, if I saw Jack Nicholson running around with an axe I was running the fuck away.

As I moved down the hall, the soundtrack to The Shining became a bit louder and I slowly opened a nearby door, wincing as the hinges creaked.

The sun or what was left of it streamed in the windows, outlining her in an amber glow. I immediately noticed that she change out of her workout clothes. Not because I'm shallow or anything but I was completely stunned. The yoga pants and tank top may have been easy on the eyes but this was even better.

She was wearing another one of those kimono looking robes. This one was more of a creamy golden color with a copper vine design. Her back was to me and her arms were raised. That sound, the sound of pure sadness was coming from the instrument in her hands. Just add that to the list of things I didn't know. Like that she had a sense of humor, a vivid imagination and ice cream sundaes with M & M's on top. All things that she let slip, and I soaked up like-

'_Hannibal.'_

I snapped to attention like I was caught snooping through her underwear drawer. Then again, I was standing behind the heavy door frame, hidden slightly from view. Not exactly the right impression I guess.

"Huuhyup." I cleared my throat and stepped into the room. She slowly lowered her arms and turned to me, expecting me to say something. "I just came, uh, to say goodbye… and…" I trailed off. And what? Thanks for the vacation? It's been nice getting to know ya but I gotta go kill some vampires, so bon voyage?

"It's all right. You belong with them, they're your family." Her voice was soft, composed and rehearsed. She was hiding it well, but I knew. And with the small bit of knowledge, my heart skipped a beat.

She didn't want me to go.

**‡**

Abby stood with her back on the door frame. Jax called this 'the solar room.' Abby had no idea what that meant but she was sure they just named it something weird since there was about a gagillion different rooms in here. She looked sideways at Chris and Andie, standing side by side, his arm threaded around her waist. Jax was across from them, leaning his lower back against a table in the middle of the room. They had learned that the werewolf-man-it-thing was a quiet man named Valen; he sat in a chair across the table from him, his long nails drumming absently on the table top. The lack of conversation was thick and uncomfortable.

"Where exactly are we?" Abby asked Jax in a conversational tone. He titled his head to the side to look at her, cocking an eyebrow.

"A fucking huge house."

"Yeah. Okay jackass. You mind elaborating on that?" Chris asked, his eyes narrowing. Jax just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Riven Manor." Chris opened his mouth to reply, but quickly thought otherwise.

Valen had shifted in his seat, causing the wood to creak and moan with the motion. Everyone in the room tensed, not sure exactly what the guy was going to do. He just looked at Jax for a moment before slowly turning his gaze to Abby.

"You're in Italy." He stated in a voice hardly above a whisper. Jax gave him a look like Valen had just killed his goldfish. He shook his head slowly.

"You-! _Sik si pok guy!"_

Everyone else in the room was startled by that revelation. Weren't they **_just_** in freaking America? **_When_** the hell did they end up in Italy? They struck up a chorus of 'what', 'where' and 'are you serious?'

"Yeah! You're in Italy." Jax said, interrupting their exclamations with an exasperated tone. "Not too far from the coast but closer to a small mountain range. It's pretty hard to reach, which is why no one stops by for gelato every night. That and it's private property. We get to shoot trespassers." He explained, waving his hand behind him to signify 'we' and 'him and Valen.'

Valen rolled his eyes, non-verbally calling Jax a drama queen. "Usually just chase him away."

"And I suspect you're the one doing the chasing, huh, Cujo?" Abby retorted. It would work though. It would be scary as fuck to see that big ass mutt barreling down at you.

"Not always." He answered with a calm nonchalance. If Abby was trying to piss him off it wasn't working.

Finally, a notably defeated looking King shuffled into the room. Abby's heart felt compressed as she realized what he was doing for them. She reached out a hand to him only to be interrupted by one particular loud mouthed kid in the room.

"Bout fucking time! What the hell took you? I got shit to do!"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Like shoot a few trespassers?"

**‡**

"They left." Valen said. His quiet tone almost mirrored mine though I knew it was only because he was afraid the gravely pitch of the beast would color his voice if he spoke any louder.

I sighed heavily turning away from the window and the burnt sky. The sun was just disappearing behind the gazebo's hill.

"It's time we got to work then."

"Dom hasn't sent any news-."

"Then we need to find it on our own." I stepped out into the hall walking. Valen sighed and fell in, the sound completely disgruntled though there was nothing he could do about my decisions.

"Daphna." He stopped not sure he should ask but then what could I do to him? He's family and as a member of this particular family was safe from any harm, at least from us.

"Why him?"

"What?" I wasn't sure what he meant. The look in those hazel eyes was piercing.

"You've never brought any one here other than Jax-sacs and Dom. Except me."

I hid the smile at his nick name for Jax knowing they liked to tease each other and exactly why he chose that. Still, I had to look away because I wasn't sure he wouldn't see the confusion on my face.

"We had no where to go. The vampires-."

"It wasn't just that and you know it. Daphna, what happened out there?" Valen stopped me a hand on my arm.

"He was there." Barely above a whisper though I knew he had heard me. Valen had extremely good ears.

"They're making clones, Valen. They're making copies of him as a vampire." I looked up feeling angry. Those infections had been desecrating-! And to think they could be making clones of my son… No. that couldn't happen and it wouldn't because I was going to kill every last one before they turned my angel into some monster.

"I know what you said before. I'm ready. Let me help." Valen leaned closer, the shift of his body trying to impress on me his ability to do damage. I knew he could. He was big, taller than I was and in his wolf shape was even bigger than he was standing over me.

"Short attention span not withstanding…"

He laughed and with a shake of his head began walking again. "Mine isn't as short as his."

I knew who he meant but decided to ignore it. Instead we went into the training room where he was about to get a real lesson in pain. This time, Valen had to prove he was able to keep up able to do major damage and not flinch from the sight of what was left behind. That's what the black cage was for.

"Why are you-." He began to ask but at my look turned to reach for the swords he preferred.

**‡**

Why had I brought Hannibal to the Manor? The question had been flitting around my head for hours now. Even the sounds of the screaming hadn't bothered me, not that they ever did. This was a vampire's cry of pain but then again they had ignored my screams, my pleading…

"Daphna." Valen stopped listening to the sounds in the alley. I tilted my head to listen but had no idea what I was looking for and I wasn't the one with the sensitive hearing. Instead I concentrated on what I could see and not just physically.

The alley blurred and figures wavered into view. Plenty of familiars roaming the lobby of the building ahead; behind the blacked out windows more vampires though not a one was a pure blood. This wasn't the place; they weren't the ones I needed to find. I shook my head already turning back the way we had come.

"Not here." I muttered.

Valen hesitated fighting the urge to go in there and tear them apart and looking at my retreating form wanting to follow. I told Hannibal I didn't hunt them all. There were other times I had done this, walked away from a nest. That didn't meant I hated them any less, it was just not their turn, yet.

Valen snuffled still in his human form though he behaved more like the beast. I thought it was the sounds of the city that made him behave in a way that felt safe though I can't explain how-.

"That's the 3rd one you've left intact today." He looked up at the sky the hood of his black coat slightly falling away from his face. "The sun's setting, they'll be out soon."

"I know but they aren't the one's I want." He grunted, not a happy sound even for a grunt.

"Now where?" he asked and at my shrug he stopped. I sighed turning to him. He stood very still almost as if he'd put down roots and wasn't going to budge. His attire was different here than it was at the Manor. There he was comfortable in cotton pants a long sleeved shirt and work boots but here-.

Valen wore a baggy black coat with a deep hood beneath I saw a big t-shirt I had no idea where he'd gotten. The gray cargo pants had tons of pockets and he seemed to be swimming in them though I knew he wore a belt else they'd be around his ankles. The only thing that was out of place were the leather sandals on his feet but I knew, once he shifted forms it his work boots would hurt him as his feet expanded.

"Valen, this isn't the place to have a conversation about the why's of-." But he wasn't paying attention. He turned away from me and sort of growled deep in his throat looking towards the side alley we had just passed.

'_What is it?'_

'_Spy's. They've been listening to us.'_

'_We should give them something for their troubles, then. Don't leave a mark, Valen.'_

He moved silently towards the wall while I followed more slowly letting the sound of my boots echo in the alley. There was a shuffling sound, the echo of a trash bin and a bottle rolling across the cement.

"Don't run away." I called after them but Valen was already blocking their exit. He was faster than I could ever be, did things I couldn't do, like now. Not a second ago he had been standing in front of me and as I turned the corner he was already snarling in wolf form and blocking the exit.

"Two of you." I shrugged looking them over though there was nothing I was really looking at just that it made them nervous. "I only need one."

**‡**

"You've done this before." He wasn't asking and by the tone of his voice I could tell he was upset.

"It's not the first time." It wasn't the answer he was looking for and the shift of his shoulders clearly said he was upset.

"They were humans."

"Familiars. Not humans, they don't qualify as humans." I said firmly. I took his arm in a firm grip and stopped on the sidewalk. This late there were few people around though we were dressed inconspicuously. All our weapons were hidden from view by our coats.

"This isn't something you can rationalize in a second and set aside in order to do what you must. My life doesn't have to be yours. I never wanted this for you, Valen. You're special. What you are-."

How could I explain to him that he wasn't a beast? That his heart still beat with warmth and he could still distinguish the humans from the demons that hounded me? I didn't want him to change, to become something else entirely. I didn't want him to be me; a bringer of death and chaos.

"I know." Valen wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. My lips quirked up at the corners with the hug. This was his way of making things better and as much as he loved to goad Jax I knew he didn't like to argue with us. Not with family.

**‡**

**Another fantastic co-write with WHATtheF even if I'm the only one saying it.**

**What's wrong with the Reviews? I know there were 10 of you here.**


	21. Copies

**Chapter 20: Preparing**

**_You may not like al I have to say but you can't prove that everything is filled with empty words_**

**‡**

"_D."_ Jax. He was doing it again.

"_Something important you need to tell me?"_ I felt him jerk at my tone but I was busy at the moment.

"_Uum, yeah… but-."_

"_Jax! I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment. Just because I _'burn shit down'_ doesn't mean-."_

The snarl to my left warned me barely turning in time to avoid the heavy ax coming down on my head. I pulled the vampire in my place taking a step back and watched as he ashed.

"Oh look. He lost his head." Then the vampire with the ax was face down at my feet, Bane snarling as he tore into him.

"_Lady D?"_

"_What is it Jax?"_ Bane's head jerked up and he snarled launching past me as I moved aside. One last vamp- I turned seeing the bloody mess left on the dirt floor. Skin… bones.

"Familiar." I shrugged not caring though Bane leapt off the body as if it were burning him. He shifted back to human form, shirtless and barefoot, covered in blood and pieces of flesh mixed with ash.

His beautiful expressive eyes, usually so calm and peaceful looked at me differently. I wasn't quite sure wh- never having seen him like this.

I felt a heaviness settle in my chest knowing this wasn't right, this wasn't for him just as I knew he wouldn't forget and how much he wanted to keep me safe.

"_Dom sent news."_

"_Why in the name of-!"_ I sighed shaking my head at the uselessness of arguing with him. "Let's go."

**‡**

_Lady Jaden,_

_I found them, though this time they've set up in an isolated mountain area. I've enclosed some maps of the region for you to look over._

_This is the main cloning facility, where they have all the DNA strands. I can't say how many or which ones-._

_There's no way to know. I'm sorry._

_If Jax hasn't already torn through the package there are some enhancements for his cuff and the guns. These should allow you to carry more ammo. There's an extra one and special toys for 'Bane.' You'll want everyone with you on this._

_Pallintines aren't taking chances, there's extra security and guards. Von Espers and Upiers._

_I know you'll remember the latter and deal with them accordingly as I know you will 'explain' to Jax._

_Since you've probably read this letter already, little bro. I expect you to come back safe and for godsakes will you stop with the 'Bonzai!!!' already?_

_Jaden._

_Put aside any personal feelings on this job. Be prepared to see ''Him' again only this time, you tear his fucking head off._

_Those things aren't your family. They aren't even human any more._

_Please come back breathing…_

_Much love,_

_Dom Xie_

**‡**

I set the letter down staring at the paper as it fluttered in the gentle breeze. I was in the gazebo again, sitting across from the pillows we had slept on-.

"Daphna." Valen's soft voice carried to me breaking the image before me. The heavy sigh escaped telling exactly how I felt, not that I cared.

"It's been over a month-."

"6weeks." I corrected. Valen nodded quietly stepping into my sanctuary. They hardly ever came here, knowing it was my private refuge away from the ghosts in the Manor.

"Why don't you go to him?"

Why didn't I? What kept me from him? He'd been perfectly clear about us-.

Us.

Just thinking it-.

"I haven't finished…" I shook my head already turning away. Valen growled deeply taking my wrist in a firm grip.

"You're a fool."

"Pardon?" he'd never spoken to me this way and I can already say I do **not** like it, the tone of my voice let him know as well but he either didn't notice or he didn't care.

"You went to all the trouble of finding him-."

"I did not!" that wasn't true.

"You saved them-."

"I ran away!" and I had. I'd leapt out that window as if the hounds of hell were chasing me.

"You went back."

"But I-."

"Asked for his help." He was right but it hadn't been my idea to go to them for help.

"Dom said-."

"Since when does Fury take orders or suggestions from mere mortals?" Valen asked. I had no response to this because I knew he had a point. A good goddamn point!

"Daphna, lie to yourself if you want to but don't lie to me. Family doesn't lie to family. Or do we?"

And how was I to respond to that? How in heaven was I going to contradict him?

I saw Valen with new eyes. His black hair was long and wavy partially obscuring his beautiful eyes. Those bluish gray eyes framed by dark lashes and I saw him, not as a boy, nor the beast 'Bane', Valen was a young man now.

'_Almost as old as I was when I became a mother.'_

"How old are you, Valen?" I asked quietly noting the surprised shift of his eyes.

"24 this winter."

I nodded.

'_Older than I had been and still so much younger. I wonder how old Hannibal is. He behaves no better than Jax at times though his life has been painful for the most part. I wonder what it would've been like had we met before any of this.'_

What was I thinking? He hadn't been born yet! And I? I'd most likely be dead, not a chance in hell a man like him would take a second glance at an old woman if he even bothered to look.

"No." I stood abruptly. "Dom gave us what we need. I can do this. I have to finish."

**‡**

I watched her walk back to the Manor the sun shining on her back.

Daphna.

She had taken me in and for a while I had been her sole companion, spending most of the time in 'Bane' form following her around, laying at her feet, guarding… protecting…

She loves him.

I can see it even if she refuses. I know she's afraid just as I know that **_He_** is not.

She disappeared into the Manor and I knew it would only be a couple of hours before she began to get restless and want to leave. Want to take them out on her own.

This time there was more than a pureblood council to exterminate. These were the vampires Daphna had searched almost 100yrs for. They had made her this cold thing-.

The last 6weeks had been a dose of harsh reality for me.

Daphna wasn't the same on a hunt, in the world she was Fury. Vampires feared her, familiars ran away only to be brought down with a though, tortured by fire, ultimately killed. She was their equivalent to the boogey man, a title she rightly deserved.

And I? How was I to protect her?

**‡**

"Well, yes and no."

Abby raised an eyebrow at King. "King, it's a yes or no answer."

"Yes."

Andie rolled her eyes. "Yes to the question or yes to it's a yes or no answer?"

"Yes, it is a yes or no question. And my answer is C: All of the above." King stated in a forced voice of nonchalance.

"Look," Abby said, throwing her arms up in exasperation, "You either did or you didn't. So, did you? Answer the question!"

The girls began a thick wall of torment.

"-come on!-."

"-you can't lie!-."

"-we won't think any less-."

Finally, he could no longer take it. "Yes!" he yelled, "Yes, I cried at the end of The Notebook! They were in love and then they _died_-."

It was a soft sound that cut him off. A sound like a piece of cloth dropping to the floor. But he knew it wasn't supposed to be there. He knew it wasn't Chris entering the room. That boy couldn't be quiet if his life depended on it. King's shoulders tensed as he risked a sideways glance at Abby. Intruder. Discreetly placing her right hand on her gun, she narrowed her eyes and prepared her nerves. She whirled around, facing the door and whipping out the gun. A familiar set of fangs and eyes met her.

Abby let out a slow breath, holstering her gun. "It's okay. JD's puppy pal is here."

King turned around to see Bane, which JD had told him was Valen's name for the canine form He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head uncertainly, taking in the brown shaggy beast that had just stopped in like a good neighbor. "Hullo? What brings you to Utah, buddy?"

'_Hannibal,'_ Bane began _'It's Daphna-.' _

"What! What happened?" King yelled, his whole body shaking. What? How could she have gotten herself into trouble so soon?

'_Nothing. Not yet. She has located the Pallintines. She plans on going after them.'_

"By herself?" He asked quickly, his voice escalating.

The beast's blue eyes stared back at him with a look of impatience. _'No. She has us.'_

"As in you and crack addicted Jackie Chan?" Andie asked, placing a hand on her hip.

Bane swung his head around to see the small brunette standing to his side. _'Yes,'_ he said, knowing the nickname would make his friend laugh, _'And the crack addicted Jackie Chan's name is Jax.'_

King waved his hand in disgust. He obviously did not like the idea of JD going into a firestorm with only two extinguishers. How could those two protect her?

Well, Hannibal, you're the one who got her killed.

Well, all the more reason to redeem yourself.

He raised his head slowly, his eyes meeting Bane's. "Where is she headed?"

It almost seemed like a small flicker of a smile touched the corner of Bane's mouth._ 'The Devil's Spine. Sierra de Durango in Mexico.' _The big doggy padded forward reaching in a pocket. He stopped in front of King pulling out a dark brown leather satchel. He held it out to King who hesitated before taking it from the clawed hairy hand and almost dropped it when-.

"Hey, Dad, did you eat all the Goddamn cottage cheese again bec-."

Chris stopped mid sentence in the doorway of the room. Staring at the beast brought back vivid snap shot memories of teeth, claws and fear. He closed his eyes slowly and tried to remember the mild-nature of Valen, and not the savagery of Bane.

Bane's shoulders seemed to shiver just slightly and the lips pulled back from those razor sharp teeth. King thought he just might be laughing at his son. Then again when had any one seen a dog laugh or smile for that matter?

After a few seconds Bane lifted his head and the not-so-sudden movement caused Chris to flinch. His bravado was rightly wearing thin, when all he could remember was huge fangs snapping at his flesh and claws splintering the wooden floor beside him.

King reached a hand towards Chris, 'Its okay. He's fine."

Bane padded towards him pulling something shiny from his buckle. Abby quickly reached for her gun once more as King and Andie tensed, ready to move in a split second. Chris' eyes grew wide as he realized what Bane was holding now was a knife. Like Bane needs another pointy weapon in his arsenal. He held it out towards Chris, handle first. Chris took a reluctant step backwards.

"Uh, what?" He asked.

'_For you.'_ Bane explained, his voice soft as it could be, considering he's a werewolf.

Chris examined the knife for a second admiring the shiny metal. The blade was just as wide and long as his bowie knife but this one curved just slightly in the middle and towards the end. The pommel was wrapped in dark leather while the crossbars seemed to be designed somehow like wings. Chris' hand twitched already reaching to take it and stopped himself. Though he kept staring at it, at the delicate scrollwork design on the blade itself.

"Are you sure?" After he said it, it occurred to Chris that this guy didn't seem like one to make mistakes. Bane nodded slowly.

"I, uh, I can't take that. It's ju-. Thank you. Thank you, but you keep it. Expensive- I can't." He stammered, his cheeks reddening.

'_No, please,'_ Bane insisted, '_For the one Daphna disintegrated._'

A small smile flashed on Chris' lips, and he cranked out one last 'are you sure?' only to be cut off by Bane once more. _'Take it or I'll fight you with it.'_

"Okay!" Chris said with a sheepish laugh, cradling the knife in his hands as though it would break. He knew the knife was much more than a replacement. More of a peace offering between two warring tribes. "Thank you."

Bane dipped his large head in agreement and turned to leave. Before he was completely out of the room, he paused, looking over his shoulder at King. _'The Devil's Spine. We can stall her only so long before…' _

After Bane had left, King turned to the other four. Abby rubbed her face in confusion. "So, Miss fire and hell is headed toward Mexico?" King paid her no mind.

"Look, I'm going to help her. I can't expect you guys to follow, but I can't leave them alone."

"He's right. They need our help." Chris said, absently twirling the knife in his hands.

"Well," Abby said slowly, "This is going to be a big coven of vampires, right?" King nodded his head to confirm the fact. "Last time I checked, I hunt vampires."

"And we are **_not_** about to let you guy's have all the fun." Andie added with a smirk.

King's lips formed a wide grin. The Nightstalkers were ready for action. But inside a shade of doubt plagued him.

What if Jaden didn't want them there?

**‡**

**This is so not the end of this chapter but we figured we could give you all a sneak peek and maybe now some one will learn how to type us a review.**


	22. Devil's Spine

**Chapter 21:Devils Spine **

**_Wish I could fake it like you do, wish I could fake it just like you._**

**‡**

I hate driving. No, really, I do. You're confused because I'm always the one driving. The reason is I'm the only adult with a driver's license. That's right ladies and gentlemen. The NightStalkers are all right with stealing, justifiable homicide and illegal nesting, but not driving a motor vehicle _sans_ license. But I digress. Abby had a license but burnt it after Blade disappeared. Something about-well, I don't really know the reason behind that and I'm not gonna ask. Christian, on the other hand, has a driver's license but after what he did to my Mustang in Reno, he isn't allowed to drive any thing with an engine. Andie bought him a nice little tricycle though…

Here I am, driving down the Devil's Spine in this environmental villain of an SUV. A huge ass Excursion with two bench seats and two captain seats up front. Doesn't that just sound like a Sunday drive to you? Hell, it almost sounds like I'm dodging brimstone and demons. But I'm not.

I flicked a glance in the rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of the group we had melded into. We beefed up our line-up with some much needed back-up and I use the term loosely. Abby, some _girl_ I never met, a boyish looking blond man, and a guy with a thick ass accent occupied the very back seat and directly behind me were Chris, Andie and a dude who looked scary beyond all reason and in the seat next to me was 'him'.

'Him' just picked up that God forsaken flask and downed a rehearsed hit. He unwillingly winced; a small wince he obviously wished to conceal. I had to hand it to the guy though. I hadn't liked to drink blood when I was under the fang either. Then again, that was back when we had Summerfield and a handy little cure.

Evan Wyoming, the reluctant vampire but not a meek one. Think Tom Cruise in _Interview With A Vampire_ but with Brad Pitt's eating habits. Evan could stomach blood only if it was concealed in a shiny metal flask but he was just like you and me when it came to the mentality of sucking blood from someone's flesh. Needless to say he wasn't a fan. Not that the hunger hasn't ever gotten to him. He used to run with our cell, until he had to pry himself, with Chris's help of course, off Andie's jugular. It didn't put a damper on his relationship with Andie; they kept a strong, if odd, friendship. Chris had trouble getting it through his thick skull that Evan didn't mean it, sometimes the hunger wins, I know- and I'm sure he's not ecstatic about the Evan-Andie allegiance, but he had to get over it. How ever, word has it that he siphons the life juice off of ill fated familiars now a days.

Evan has animalistic instincts and leadership branded onto his soul. I respect him but our hero complexes tended to clash every now and then. Doesn't matter any more though, he has four new people to boss around these days.

One was a short, stocky guy with a thick accent. Conner Riley. He's Irish or Scottish. Oh fuck, like any one can honestly tell the difference. Something in his features and facial expressions screamed James Dean, though he was quick to laugh his personality leaned on the heavy side of brash. Seems like a good enough guy. The other two guys in the cell are American. Rob Mears is a goofy blond Bostonian while Hal Porter is a brooding guy with Italian features and a nasty looking scar over his eye.

The little Asian girl on the other hand… Yin-Zhi? She looks about 14 maybe 15, shit! She looks like she belongs in school where a normal 14 year old should be but instead this one was running around in dark corners with three men who were old enough to be put behind bars if any one else knew about it. I mentally rolled my eyes. Hanging out with a 15year old? Kinda sick. Speaking of sick, I must have an ear infection because it sounded like she told me she was 20. Ha! 20! And I'm Dolly Parton.

**‡**

Basically, I was trying _not_ to look down at the immense drop on the right side of the vehicle. It is a long way to the bottom. Not that I can see the bottom because of all the thick, green foliage obscuring the view. Which also happens to be my point exactly. That is a fucking long drop and who would hear us crash?

I pulled on my shirt, trying to get the damp, sticky material from my skin. I swear to God, humidity was going to kill me. Well, at least I'm not the only one uncomfortably sweating my ass off. Poor Chris had been lulled into a heat induced stupor. The girls seemed to be okay. Then again, the girls never wear much clothing any way. They were chattering endlessly, happy to be around more people than they were used to.

The only thing visible through the windshield was this fucking huge flat mountain face which didn't seem to be getting any closer nor could I see around it. Tiny streams flowed down off its side spraying a fine mist around the area. At certain points it looked like we were driving on clouds and oh God!! I would give my left eye for a shower right now. Fuck, just a bucket of water would be fine by me.

"Any one wanna explain to me why I volunteered for this?" Evan drawled, a faint hint of Texas tingeing his words. Andie's face appeared next to Evans, in between the passenger seat and the door.

"It's because you're madly in love with me." she teased. Evan laughed out loud, the elongated incisors on display. It made me uneasy to say the least. Andie sat back once more. "Unfortunately, my friend, I'm spoken for." She twisted her hand into Chris's, who managed to muster an appreciative, if lazy smile.

"Why is it so _fucking_ hot?" Chris yelled suddenly. I should get onto him about his fucking dirty language but the kid was right. "Is it really necessary for them to hide out at the hottest place on the planet?"

"Oh, no. It'd be too fucking easy kiddo." Connor chimed in, his laugh booming from the back. The Rob guy laughed too and I heard him take a deep breath. Evan heard it as well, you know, what with the crazy vampire hearing and all and he turned his head giving me the classic 'here we go' look.

"I remember this one time and we were in, um, Phoenix and it was really hot and I said; 'You remember?' and so I said 'Wow. It's really hot'."

Abby turned to him waiting for the punch line; Rob just looked back with a genuine smile, focusing his attention on Evan. "Ya remember that time?"

Evan sighed heavily, "Yes, Rob. I remember." He directed the next sentence at me in a lower voice. "I swear to God he can shoot like no tomorrow but he has the brain mass of Nicole Riche."

Rob began to fidget loudly. For that to make sense I probably should've told you that the upholstery was leather. Leather plus people plus humidity equals a hell of a lot of noise. Rob settled back in his seat once more.

"Betcha it aint this fucking hot any where else on the planet."

"Rob, how could you possibly even know that?" Yin asked, flicking her hand like he was a fly with blonde hair and an annoying Bostonian accent.

"He doesn't. He's just trying to find a way to bitch-." The statue that was occupying the seat directly behind me suddenly came to life. Porter was quickly cut off by Rob who was undoubtedly going to complain and Connor, lightheartedly trying to tell them to shut the hell up.

"HEY!" Evan yelled. "Don't make me come back there!" he stared at them all through the rearview mirror like an angry parent on the way home from the grocery store. With a quick shake of the head, he placed his hand on the broken air conditioner. "Kids."

We laughed, struggling to keep the thoughts of the impending fight away.

As if to punctuate the sentence Chris came back to life once more to impose the age old question.

"Hey Dad? Are we there yet?"

I fucking hate driving.

**‡**

Hiding in the shadows of this humid jungle like forest staring at the landscape set out before us. The mountain was huge and their lair within had been there for centuries; hidden away from the world. This is how they'd survived, where they'd hid until the world changed enough for them to emerge and blend in with the rest of humanity. Only these things weren't human. They didn't deserve the same considerations nor was I going to give it to them.

I was here for vengeance.

**‡**

"This is fucking unbearable D!" Jax complained yet again. He was having a hard time with the humidity.

"Why! Why does it have to be so friggin unbearably hot!"

"It's always been this way." I replied though my focus was on the mountain before me. I could barely make out the lights of torches but I didn't have to see to feel the fire.

"How do you know?"

"My mothers family is from here." I almost felt his quizzical look and answered his next question before he could ask. "I only visited once, as a child."

"I thought you were Italian."

"My father." Then something else changed, something new turned up in the area I was searching. I turned to Jax and Bane with a frown. I held up a hand to stop Jax already focusing my search on the immediate area, closer to us than before I sensed the others.

**‡**

'_Oh shit. Now what?'_ Jax thought seeing her eyes narrow. He turned to Bane mouthing 'What?' when Daphna let out a hiss of breath.

Bane sniffed the air then jerked his huge head towards Jax, blue eyes cringing.

"What?" he kept his voice low fearing Daphna would hear him when she suddenly ran into the trees.

"Hey! Wha- aren't we-? Bane!" Jax called after them but both were gone. He let out a huff of breath glancing up at the sky. "Figures." He grumbled seeing the light barely able to penetrate the dense canopy of leaves. He knew it would take him longer to catch up but when he did they were gonna get an ear full of Xie complaints.

**‡**

"Why? I just wanna know why I'm in this godforsaken miserable jungle?" Jax shoved a branch out of his way which swung back as soon as he passed grazing the top of his limp spikes. "Great! Friggin great." He muttered blowing at the limp bangs in his face which were leaving sticky smudges along his forehead from the hair jell.

"Why do I even bother?"

**‡**

The shadows were deeper in this part of the forest and I hid in the trees. Ahead, the shuffling of feet and heavy breathing was clearly audible and if they'd thought to get past the Upiers…

What was he thinking?

The dark haired male pushed through the heavy undergrowth first. He looked around the small clearing relieved and stopped with his back to me. Not very smart considering… and once again I wondered-.

'_What is he thinking?'_

**‡**

I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I was just looking for her. Suddenly I'm on my knees, struggling for the breath in my lungs. My vision was obscured by the foliage but I could make out the silhouette of a woman but I didn't know this woman. This wasn't the woman who called me.

_He was sitting quietly at his desk. That's what he'd been doing ever since he returned from Salem with out Hannibal King. He knew that King hadn't committed any murder but how was he gonna tell the rest of the station? Oh no, Hannibal didn't slaughter the King family! It was vampires! No, for reals! They totally exist and they are a pissy bunch of fuckers, too!_

_Yeah, he was gonna pass on that one. But there wasn't a day that had gone by that he hadn't wished he'd stayed with them. Maybe it would have done something for this fear, this fear he had every time he heard a foot step behind him or saw a shadow dance across the wall or he was alone. The constant question of; 'Where his friends okay? Was Abigail ok?'_

_The phone rang and he pulled it off the receiver, quickly swiping his hand over his face. He barked his name into the phone._

_"Is it you?" the voice was oh-so familiar, so much that it hurt._

_"Abigail?"_

Abigail? Why the fuck did I say 'Yes' to this?

"Who are you?" the blurry woman asked.

"Jake Pierce! FBI!" if any one was to ask me how I managed to pry those words out of my throat, I wouldn't be able to tell you. The pain raking through it was almost too much to bear.

These were the exact co-ordinates Abby told me to meet up with them. It was always the plan for me to come back and help out but I always figured it would be, you know, state side? Not in the fucking jungle.

"You're out of your jurisdiction." She said. I could've told her the NightStalkers were my jurisdiction. That ever since they barged their way into my life they were my business but I couldn't. This woman- oh God! She was trying to _hurt_ me.

**‡**

I looked up seeing Abigail push her way out of the shrubs. The look on her face was 'Hello' enough for me and she was obviously not happy. Not that she had any warm feelings towards me. It doesn't matter; I still respect the woman she is. Not any one can take to the life we lead and being Fury was no exception, it just gave me an advantage.

"What are you doing?" she ground out stomping over.

"I'd ask you the same thing but it's obvious." Pierce fell over as I released him groaning over his arm. I hadn't hurt him, too much and Abigail's eyes stared daggers at me. I wondered if she'd become fond of the man then again we weren't the same.

"You're a little far away from home, Agent." Abigail quipped, reaching her hand out to him. He smiled up at her, the residual pain flickering over his features. His dark hair curled slightly with the humidity and his shirt was soaked with perspiration. The knees of his pants and his hands were covered in dirt and leaves. He wiped a hand on his leg before he finally accepted hers. She hefted him up returning the smile.

Behind her the others clomped out of the shadows and Pierce wasn't the only new face among them. This time they'd brought another little girl, Asian, three big burly men and a smaller one. That one I noticed immediately seeing the difference in movement. I gripped a stake watching the others trudge through to the clearing. I threw the stake seeing the faint rays of sunlight glint over the silver.

He leaned to the right turning slightly while his hand swiped at the air. Now I was sure; this was no human and the slight bent posture with the hissing bared fangs completed the picture.

Maybe he wasn't one of the ones responsible, maybe he had no knowledge of what I still carried inside but he had killed others just to stay alive. How many family's lay broken because of him?

"Vampire!" venomous hate coated the word and I felt its foul taste in my mouth. I moved to eliminate him clutching at my wrists already pulling out the Sai.

This thing was going to die now only first I had to get past this large barrier. I turned my glare up ward and saw Hannibal trying for all the world to look as if I weren't about to flame. I knew that wasn't one of his favorite things since he'd seen what I'd done to the Faustinas.

He took my shoulders in a firm grip pushing me away from the others.

"He's on our side JD."

"_Our_ side? Hannibal, I didn't bring him here. You did." I accused pulling out of his hands.

"Yeah," he agreed. "And I wouldn't bring someone I thought would turn on us." He had a point. But I wasn't going to tell him that. I looked around Hannibal at the vampire.

This _'thing'_ wasn't as pale as it normally would be but that was thanks to Daystar. I looked him over assessing; he wasn't as tall as Hannibal, maybe 6ft or a little less. His dark blond hair was cut short and his eyes... they were a glassy green but in their depths hid that beast then I noticed the smile.

This thing was smiling almost as if the situation was funny.

"So. Are you okay with this?" Hannibal asked. I thought a second and nodded my acceptance. The vampire let out a deep breath of relief and looked to Andie.

"I just don't get it," He whispered in faux-grief. "I just wanna be loved for who I am on the inside!"

I frowned turning to call Bane. I didn't want to see King's searching gaze or his tentative smile. He'd looked as if he were happy to see me but…

'_Bane!'_

**‡**

JD was looking at me with a frown on her pretty face, her hands on her hips and just-well, pissed. She looked pissed. Maybe she really didn't want me here. A jolt of disappointment shot through my body. I felt about as tall as the grass under my feet not that there was much what with all these leaves.

"Hey!" I gushed. _Too much King! Turn it off!_ "How are you, you know since the last time I saw you. You look good! Not that you don't usually look good because, I and… I'm gonna shut up now."

Abby patted me on the shoulder, I could almost hear her thinking; _'Good idea, doofus.'_

JD just raised an eyebrow. "You want to explain them Hannibal?"

"Ha!" _Oh dear God._ "Fighting the good fight, you know. Every moment." She narrowed her eyes. That might not have been what she was asking. "Oh. You mean the other people? Uh-um, well, you see, it cost money to get here for us non-Fury's and we wanted the group rate." I smiled and shrunk down. "Please don't kill me."

Rob began to open his mouth and I started to mentally flinch. When Bane picked this particular moment to drop in out of God knows where though I'd bet $20 he was up in those trees.

Panic ensued; more than one gun was pulled. Every one was too shocked to move any thing other than their mouths, though.

"What the fuck is that!"

"Mary, Joseph, and Jesus!"

"Big Puppy!"

"Put the guns down." Abby ordered in a tone more annoyed than menacing. "Put it down, Jake."

Bane turned with a menacing growl backing towards JD who laid a reassuring hand on his head.

"Bane," she started giving the others a quietly condescending look. "Be nice to the new NightStalkers."

I closed my eyes waiting for the first person to say something stupid.

Pierce took a step backwards or maybe he fell backwards, either way it was a really awkward looking move. "Fucking werewolf? Are you serious? What the hell am I supposed-."

"Stop being a bitch that's what." Chris interrupted, playfully shoving Pierce forward.

"Okay." He agreed. "Just please, _please, _tell me dragons aren't real."

"He's one of mine." She said before turning to Pierce with a serious look. "As a matter of fact, they are."

I about asked her what the hell she was talking about when my 'shut up' filter kicked in. Thank God, too. She looked like she was ready to skin us all alive. And Mental-Note: Ask about dragons _later_.

She began walking towards me and I saw her clearly in the dimming light. It was as if she had her own light. This time she wore about as much clothes as the girls. She had a little top under the leather vest but she'd left the leather pants at home. She had some loose looking pants hanging low on her hips and that belt again.

"How did you know?" she asked. She was standing so close and those big brown eyes-. I had to take a deep breath and get my head straight. It's not like we bared our souls to each other, even if I practically laid my heart at her Goddamn feet.

"Well you see," I began again, way to enthusiastic once more. "It's a funny story actually…" I trailed off, carefully eyeing Bane, wondering if I could implicate him in our plot with out getting him thrown into time out. I decided against it. "We just came to get rid of some vampires. And we heard it was _lovely_ out here this time of year." Rob began to groan but it sounded as if Yin kicked him in the shin.

"I see." She said quietly before turning. "Bane!" she yelled and I wondered if she had, seeing as how she went straight to the mutt.

Bane flinched, his tail tucking between his legs while that huge head dipped low looking at her with big blue puppy dog eyes.

"Don't even try it, that's not going to get you out of this young man!"

_Oh dammit! I knew it! Time out! Wait a second? Who's she? His mother? No- that's not right._

She wagged her finger at his snout giving him some verbal abuse which I wasn't sure how-. I mean what?

"Wait 'till we get to the manor… you just-." Then she stopped, abruptly straightening and looked around. "Where's Jax?"

**‡**

"I'm coming! Jeez!" He'd head her not just verbally but mentally. Still unhappy about the heat and grumpily kicking out of the heavy underbrush, Jax tripped stumbling into the clearing.

"Fucking great!" he muttered pushing off the leafy ground when he noticed the maroon colored Doc martens in front of his nose. He looked up following a pair of slim looking legs covered in short black and violet striped stockings. Jax sat back his eyes traveling up knee high black cargoes to a waist strapped with a belted holster, silver stakes, a long looking blade and studded belt.

He stood slack jawed at the girl wearing a tight red tank, a symbol for war painted on like graffiti. She wore a thin silver chain around her neck, the pendant hidden beneath and her straight black hair was streaked with purple which she currently wore up, another two silver stakes holding it in place.

"What's wrong with him?" the girl asked looking him over obviously not impressed. Her slanted brown eyes turned to JD as Jax tried to speak.

"Uh, I- I'm- we cam- wow!" was all he managed.

"Seriously. What's his deal?" she asked moving towards the others.

"You must have his tongue." JD replied looking over the new NightStalkers.

"I'm sure that's not the only thing he'd like you to have" Chris said in a low stage whisper.

Jax ignored the comments and turned to Bane.

"You didn't say they were bringing company."

Bane dropped his head and shook it as his laughter died. He let out a heavy sigh while wiping a large paw over his face. It was clearly obvious Jax had put his foot in it, again.

"Enough of this!" JD snapped turning to Bane who immediately quieted straightening to attention. Jax flinched glancing at the others though his gaze kept shifting to the young Asian girl.

"You should leave. Go home Hannibal and take them with you." It wasn't a very nice thing to do on her part. She knew he was there for her, to help but this was something Jaden needed to do on her own. As Fury. But did she want to?

"No." King said, taking an overtly stern tone to mask the hurt of being sent away. "There's too many of them for you. You'd never make it." He said staring down at her wanting her to understand that he needed to do this as well. "And I won't leave you."

"I can't guarantee your safety or theirs." She whispered softly feeling a heaviness settle over her for something she wouldn't let herself have. He was complicated, what he offered was complicated. If she gave herself time to think of all the 'what ifs' she would drive herself mad and wasn't she half way there?

"You know what, **_Jaden?_** I am **_sick _**to **_death_** of you treating me like I'm some child. I know how to fight vampires all right? It's what I do. So you can drop the fucking attitude."

She began to protest but thought better of it seeing Hannibal looming over her.

"We're going in there with or with out you." King crossed his arms over his chest looking at her with determination. "So, what's it gonna be, sweetheart?"

**‡**

I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks and arched an eyebrow. I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about this. Should I kiss him, which for some reason was what I most wanted to do! He looked so different-. No, Hannibal wasn't going any where but in the castle. That was something I could probably change but at what cost and deep down I wanted him there with me. I needed someone I could take strength from so I could finish what I had come to do. I was afraid I wasn't ready for this, to finish…

"We pair up. Three of yours with one of mine; any thing goes wrong and we need to get out fast…" I pointed behind me at Bane and Jax who kept grinning like a fool at the girl. I had to admit she seemed like a challenge for him. "They can take care of it."

"I, uh, guess we should introdu-." Hannibal looked like he had no idea how to go about introducing the new NightStalkers. Thankfully Pierce, Mr. FBI man stepped forward with hand outstretched.

"Jake Pierce. FBI." Was his overenthusiastic reply with a sickly happy smile on his face. I wondered if maybe I'd chocked him a little too hard. Had that little lack of air affected his brain functions? I turned to Hannibal with out thinking and saw his smile.

"Long story." He said and of course this wasn't the time to get another glimpse into his life. "These guys are…" he trailed off and it was more than obvious these NightStalkers weren't his usual companions.

"Connor Riley." the Scott holstered his gun and stepped forward with a smile.He placed a huge hand on the little Asian girls shoulder. "This little firecracker is Yin-Zhi."

"Yin-Zhi…" Jax breathed with a goofy smile on his face. I shook my head at his absolute and complete embarrassing behavior. Had the boy not seen girls before?

"Hey, I'm Rob. Mears. My name is Rob Mears. But you can call me just Rob. Just Rob." At the first words out of his mouth I had to concentrate on what he said. This NightStalkers was obviously nervous around me though why I had no idea. He spoke so fast I think he said his name was Rob, Just Rob before he turned to the big man.

"Porter. And I don't see why we're going to be taking orders from some kid."

The look on Hannibal's face was not happy and the little vampire hissed grabbing the complaining Porter. It wasn't a smart move considering the bigger man shook out of his hold.

"No! You fucking hear me out Evan! First I have to take orders from you and now some kid?"

"This ain't our hunt." Once again he tried a failed method.  
"Get your fucking hands-." The argument escalated and both man and vampire began to scuffle then he surprised me. Hannibal actually intervened and tried to break up the fighting. Not to mention Just Rob putting in his 5cents.

Chris, the gentleman inside surfaced, and took hold of Andie gently pushing her behind his big frame. I almost smiled at the gesture; his mother had taught him well. If heaven existed then I hoped she could see this little moment and feel proud. He was a good son and he would be a good man.

I pushed those thoughts aside and turned to the others.

"Fall in line or leave." I snapped feeling their eyes on me and it felt any thing but comfortable. Well, I hadn't asked them to come and I didn't want any distractions; not in there. I dreaded seeing another clone of him but I knew there was a very possible chance I'd see more than one. What was the point of them being here if they behaved this way? but Hannibal wasn't done.

"Listen. This is big. These guy's know twelve times more about what we're walking into than you do. So no more arguing. Because if we're arguing in there? We might as well put a bullet to our heads now." Hannibal assumed control of the situation and I stood back watching. I'd seen him fight before, something he did with sarcastic abandon seeming not to care for his safety. The few times I'd expected him to take control and deal with his 'kids' he'd shrugged it off smiling. As if they would get over it on their own.

"Yeah," Andie popped out from behind Chris. She looked more than a little annoyed by the gesture throwing him a glare. "Divide and conquer. There are way more of **_them_** than us. The only advantage we have is surprise. Our only other hope is to work together."

Smart girl.

"She's right." Abby agreed. "Anyone disagree?" she looked pointedly at Porter who gritted his teeth and swallowed down what he wanted to say. Now that they had agreed to shut up…

"Since you obviously have the biggest nose…" I turned to Bane who whimpered though he straightened to his full height.

"Chris, Andie. Would you mind?" I motioned for them to follow Bane. Both hesitated reluctantly going and I noticed the huge muscle bound man behind Hannibal. "Just Rob. Over there." I pointed waving him over.

"Okay." he moved with a certain amount of purpose mixed with trepidation. I couldn't blame him seeing as how Bane nearly doubled him in weight and size.

I glared at Jax seeing him still gawking at the girl. "Yin-Zhi. Abigail." I sighed waving them over.

Yin-Zhi bowed respectfully before moving. I was surprised she knew any of the traditional ways considering these times were any thing but.

"_Nam zai_ mind your manners with the ladies." I warned Jax though his grin only widened seeing Abby and Yin-Zhi walk over to him though he conveniently ignored the little vampire following them.

"Well, uh," The vampire started nervously, throwing one last look at me, "I'm Evan Wyoming." He straitened his back and a smirk passed his lips, like saying his name was a boost in confidence. "And I'm not all bad. I swear. The fangs are for show."

"Is this going to be like before?" Abigail asked in an exasperated voice with a raised eye brow. Jax nodded and Yin-Zhi looked from one to the other confused.

"Poor thing, you'll see."

Hannibal turned to Pierce on his left, both exchanging quick nods. He then glanced at Porter, looking the man up and down with a heavy sigh. "Well," He began, finally turning to me. "Where to, darling?"

**‡**

Inside the castle it was dark though my eyes adjusted instantly lighting the cavern in a blue-violet glow. I turned surveying our surrounding all the while still holding to Hannibal's hand. I didn't want to admit that I was afraid of what would come after this was finished.

The others were disoriented except for Abigail and Hannibal who had been through this displacement before. I turned to the sound of muffled heaves.

The others looked as if they'd drunk too much wine and Jax was very attentive of Yin-Zhi. I noticed Abby flash her light towards them and roll her eyes at sight of Jax solicitously handing Yin-Zhi a cloth to wipe her face. I shook my head at the sight. He was at it again but he was normally so charismatic and caring about us that I wondered if Yin would hold out against that.

I felt Hannibal reach his hand up to my wrist then up my arm until I was standing with my back to him almost in a hug. This was comforting especially in a place like this with what was ahead. That's when I knew he was worried but I wasn't sure if it was for his NightStalkers, for himself or me.

_No more weaknes. You are Fury._

I turned into Hannibal's arms and lay my head on his chest circling my arms around his waist.

'_I'll be fine, Hannibal. So will the others.'_ The whisper in his mind was so soft I thought at first he hadn't noticed but then he pulled me up for a kiss.

**‡**

Chris fell to his hands and knees, willing everything he had eaten in the past week to stay in his stomach. He wasn't exactly sure what they just did, but it didn't feel too good. Worse than the first time he went drinking. Immediately aware that he might need to do something, he tried to open his eyes. A wave of panic engulfed him as he realized that he still could not see. The panic subsided as he came to the conclusion that it was just dark. Very fucking dark. He pulled a small flashlight off of his holster belt and turned it on, slowly surveying the room.

Andie caught his eye. She was standing with her back half to him, her body seizing as she bent over and grabbed her knees. It became rather evident to Chris, in all his worldly knowledge that Andie was barfing up everything she had eaten that morning. And then she swayed slightly to the right, before her legs slipped out from under her. Again, in all his wisdom of high school parties, he knew that she was passing out. In one fluid motion he snatched her tiny body out of the air and sat down resting her on his knee; then promptly fell on his ass from the exertion.

Bane looked at the two of them, his big blue eyes sad and his ears flopped down with his tail tucked.

"She'll come to. Must have shocked her nervous system." he said low voiced and full of remorse. He hadn't known it would be so bad for her. The only person he had ever teleported was Jax and he'd never-.

As if on queue, her eyes fluttered open. With a small cough, she slowly sat up and placed a hand to her head. "Damn," She said wincing as she spoke, "I feel like I got ran over by a semi."

Chris spotted the other people in the room quickly, most of them floundering about like a bunch of drunks thrown out of the bar at last call. Rob was making the most noise, for some reason feeling the need to inform everyone of the bodily functions he was trying not to perform. Connor, wielding his flashlight like a sword, was attempting to walk over to Evan, who was standing in one place with his head in his hands while Porter was sitting on the floor, trying his best not to look like the others. Jax was busying himself with Yin-Zhi, slowly helping her off the floor.

Finally, Connor flashed a smile and placed a hand on Evan's shoulder. Evan stuck out both arms trying to balance him self. The Scot looked him square in the eyes, and smiled once more, "You're a cheap drunk. You know that, right?"

On the other side of the room, Abby rolled her eyes at the others flipping on her flashlight and carefully turning to take in her surroundings. It was dark but something glittered on the floor.

It couldn't, could it?

**‡**

I looked up into the deep shadows of the caverns roof. Not even with my night vision could I see into that. This wasn't a regular cave like the kind my brother and I used to play in as kids. This cave was deep echoing every sound we made. In here it was much cooler than outside and for that every one was grateful, myself included. I'd left behind the leather knowing what kind of weather awaited me. I was more comfortable this way though I wasn't used to the loose pants or the many pockets.

"Last time I let Jax buy me clothes." I muttered moving off into the darkness where I made out the semblance of a torch. I shouldn't complain not really. If I were truthful I'd say this was much better than the leather pants and vest but then Jax would never shut up and I liked my quiet.

My fingers brushed over a metal torch fastened to the stone. I pulled it easily from the wall hearing the tinkling of the metal fastenings as they fell to the ground. I cupped the top with my hand and it bounced up as the fire lit the torch. I blinked getting my eyes to adjust then turned to light the next one.

**‡**

Evan turned away slowly, his face blank. "She's real." He said to no one in particular, his eyes scanned the darkness, rethinking all the stories he had been told. How many legends. And here she was. "The Fury. After all that-. She's real."

"Shut your mouth, _boss_, you're catchin' flies." Porter said, obviously not understanding what that meant. Evan caught the disdain dripping from the older man's voice, but decided to wave the confrontation.

"You just wait." He whispered, turning away. "I'll shut your mouth for you."

Abby's eyes widened before she turned to JD.

"Are we in the right place?" Abby's lips quirked into a smile as she picked up a thin string of gold.

**‡**

I walked through the piles of valuables seeing the torch flames shine warmly over the treasures. I stopped and picked up a small statue made of jade running a gentle finger over the lines thinking of the hands that made this probably centuries past and what their life may have been like. Did they have a happy life? Did they die old and in their sleep, peacefully?

I set the statue back, carefully laying it on an old cloth.

"Descansen." I wished them peace though my voice was drowned by their racket. I looked up frowning. They ran around the room, stuffing their pockets like their life depended on it; dashing madly about. Andie was looking at a reflection of herself in on some polished silver surface, a new pair of intricate gold earrings fastened on. On the other side of the mound, Chris had pulled out a long and lethal looking spear, flexing his hands against the polished onyx base. Even Jax was stuffing his pockets!

Yin-Zhi seemed to be the only quiet one in the crazy free-for-all. She stopped at a large statue, lightly putting her hand to the marble face. Her demeanor was more respectful and it was obvious she was awed. The girl did not touch a thing showing that at least one of them had that decency.

Abby tentatively picked at another pile sifting through larger baubles and coins. "This is just-." Abby was cut off by Jake. The man had come up behind her, carefully fastening a gold chain with a single sapphire around her neck. It hung daintily over her collarbone. She turned around to Jake, an embarrassed smile reaching her lips. He returned the smile. "It's perfect."

I frowned feeling as if we had desecrated the tomb of all those ancient people who died before us, the ones who'd left all this behind. What had they wanted to do with these? Pass them to their children? Their children's children? Who knew what they had suffered because of this treasure. I was sure they didn't want it sold on the black market so some punk could buy another gun. I glanced around again almost seeing their ghosts.

"Stop." I walked out of the isle. "Stop it." But they paid no attention, this was wrong. "I said stop!" my voice echoed in the cavern though it wasn't large. I turned to see Rob come running past me, his arms full of the irreplaceable treasures. I grabbed his shoulder and looked in his eyes.

"This isn't what we're here for." I couldn't just let them take what they wanted. How could they think this was all right? People more than likely paid with their blood for this.

**‡**

Rob immediately dropped everything he held, the precious metal clashing to the ground and causing everyone to stop in their tracks. Connor had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. The guy was just so obviously scared of the little brunette woman.

"Hey," Porter said as everyone mentally winced. "It ain't like this job has a great retirement plan."

After a second Evan nodded his head slightly, "As much as I hate to agree; I've got to."

Pierce looked around the room, visibly deliberating his choices. "JD's kind of right. But would it hurt to-."

Yin whipped around to face him, cutting him off sharply.

"This belongs to the old ones."

"Oh, shut it." Porter seethed, turning on his heel to face her. "I'm so sick -."

"You're one _da jiu pok guy_." Jax said standing tall and glaring. Before Porter went off on his tantrum Hannibal intervened, again. I was beginning to like this side of him even if he did turn it on me. Maybe that was a good thing. I was so used to doing things my way and giving out the orders I'd forgotten what it was like to a have a man around. This one wasn't half bad…

_Would you concentrate? Vampires. Big castle like lair. Clones. I'm here for a reason now focus!_

"Listen! Hey!" Hannibal yelled over the argument. "Did you forget about the blood-sucking _vampires_? Huh? I doubt they'll let us leave with any of this. Unless they're ash. Who wants to get started on that part there?"

"No." King turned to see JD speaking to Jax.

Jax nodded back quickly. "Already working it out, Fury."

King furrowed his brow, looking from JD to Jax slowly. "Work what out?"

"Bane, stay and help Jax, when you're done catch up." I ordered ignoring Hannibal's question. There was only one thing that would stop their argument and what I was planning on doing here… well, they had a point.

Bane quietly nodded his head at Andie. The girl returned the nod with a look of confusion and annoyance before turning to Chris. The second she turned her head, Bane stuck his snout in her hair. With a small yelp she realized the wet snout belonged to Bane. She giggled nervously while Chris grabbed her by the hand and directed her to the other side of him.

"So I can find you." Bane explained with a nod towards Andie. "Stay close."

"Well, _maybe_, you should use your eyes instead of your body, Cujo." Chris blurted, edging closer to Bane. Before Bane could react Andie did, grabbing the boy by the arm and pulling him backwards.

"Once!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air, "Just once I would like to take you in public and you not cause a big ass scene! I swear to God, I would rather be stuck in the middle of a sewer with a bunch of fucking vampires than be with you in a twenty five mile radius of any other male!"

"Yeah?" He argued back, beaming the flashlight right into her eyes, "And I would like to go into public once! Just once! And not-." Chris' tirade came to an abrupt stop and he swallowed hard, clenching his jaw. "I swear, you are going to be the death of me, woman."

I hid the smile as I faced the others. "The rest of you stay in your group."

"You know, uh," Pierce interjected, fumbling around in his pockets. "Back at the bureau we use these nifty little ear pieces here."

"I don't care how you do it, FBI man. Just stay in contact with the others. I don't want any one getting left behind."

"Tell you what," Connor began, turning around to get one last look at the mounds of gold. "I really hate to leave all that-." He stopped abruptly upon seeing Bane, accompanied by Jax, dividing up the treasures. "Oy! What's that there?"

I ignored Jax and Bane, looking directly at the Scott. "Your pay." That seemed to cut his steam and with nothing else left to complain about he fell in with his group.

**‡**

JD left whisking away into the dark. King stared after her for a moment, fighting the impulse to follow her. He nodded to Abby, reaching for his gun.

"Who's ready to play hide and go seek with the fuckers?"

**‡**

"So are you going to sulk the entire night or are you going to talk to me?" Andie asked, her eye's not leaving Chris' back. He was leading the way in front of her, the beam of the flashlight sweeping in front of him. She could tell by his rigid motions that he was still pissed at her.

"No." He informed her, continuing to look straight ahead. "I am going to kill a few vampires. And then I'm going to feel way better. Right now I want to strangle you."

"Love you, too, honey." Andie answered back, rolling her eyes. Just because he had a medical reason to be moody didn't make it any less annoying. And it's not like she _did _anything. And neither did Bane. But trying to tell Chris that was like trying to tell normal people vampires existed. Only with a lot more anger. And yelling. And throwing things. So, maybe they weren't too terribly similar.

It was quiet for a few more seconds before Andie piped up once more. "It's not like I've ever even, like, said anything to him."

"Do you ever quit talking?"

"Do you ever quit being an overbearing, jealous idiot?" Chris turned his head sharply to look at her. She looked up at him with her hands on her hips. He turned his whole body to her and opened his mouth to reply, stopping mid syllable and looking at her.

"Wha-?" Andie was cut off by an angry shush. The look in Chris' eyes had changed and he turned off the flash light, leaving them both in the dark. A prick of anxiety grew in her chest as she heard Chris' feet turn in the dirt. A few footsteps echoed in the cavern and Andie put a hand on a throwing blade, knowing that a gun shot would make their presence known.

Andie's anxiety grew to panic when she heard someone hit the floor. A groan and the sound of a fist hitting bone.

"Andie! Andie, the flare!" Chris yelled from the darkness. A first she didn't know what he meant. Then it hit her, Bane told them to pick up a few flare's; that it would be dark. She stuffed her hand in her boot, fishing it out. With frantic fingers she lit it, holding the sparking flare away from her face.

A vampire was lying on the ground, fangs out and howling, while Chris sat on top of him. Another vampire was hurriedly gripping at Chris' shoulders, attempting to pull him off. Chris jerked his elbow up, knocking the vampire square in the chin. He stumbled backward and banged his temple on the wall before slumping to the floor.

Chris returned his attention to the vampire he was currently sitting on. He grabbed the vamp's throat, holding him down with seemingly unrealistic strength. Silver glinted as he pulled the knife that Bane had given him out of its leather sheath. Chris ground his teeth as he shoved the knife into its stomach, quickly pulling it out; a string of blood flung off the knife and landed on his face. With stony resolution, he dug the knife into the vampire's chest with one hand. One final, strangled gasp escaped the vampire's throat before it turned to ash.

With menace emanating from his body Chris turned to the vampire moaning on the floor behind him. He picked the vampire up by the collar, throwing him to the ground. The vampire clutched his head in pain while Chris slowly circled him, like he was trying to decide what to do next. Andie winced as he kicked the vamp one - two - three times in the head before pulling it up by the collar once more.

The flare slowly fizzled out, leaving her once more in the darkness. All she could hear was the slick sound of a knife piercing flesh multiple times. Then, after a few moments of sickening silence, she remembered her own flashlight. With frantic movements she unclipped the flashlight from her own belt and turned it. Her heart skipped a beat when he stepped into the light.

Andie looked at Chris, a thin line of blood running diagonal across his face. For a few moments, words escaped her. Then she smiled, "Feel better?"

**‡**

"So, you're Irish. Like Braveheart." King asked, keeping his flashlight trained on the ground, Connor's heavy footsteps close behind him.

"No," Connor replied with a small chuckle. "And yes." King chuckled as well.

"I've been told that it can't be both ways, man." Connor laughed out loud, barely remembering to keep it quiet. King always had a very good philosophy on life: Don't broadcast your whereabouts to vampires. Connor quickened his pace to meet King's, who took his eyes off the floor to look at the man next to him.

"I mean no, I'm not Irish like Braveheart because Braveheart is Scottish. Like me." King did a double take, confusion causing his eyebrows to do a funny little dance. He looked at Connor like a child asking too many questions.

"Soo," He began slowly, "You are Irish. Like Sean Connery." Connor was barely able to contain his laughter.

"No, man! Sean Connery is _not_ Irish. He and I are both _Scottish_!" King continued to look confused for a second, then let out a quiet laugh.

"Gotcha. You're Scottish. Like the Boondock Saints." In the interest of time, and his own sanity, Connor didn't tell King that the Boondock Saints were Irish. That, and the fact that King sounded so sure of himself, Connor didn't have enough heart to tell him otherwise.

"Where we goin' anyhow?" Connor asked as they came to where two of the cavernous corridors intersected. King stopped and pulled out a large knife.

"I, uh… I don't - uh…" He trailed off, distracted. They stood in silence for a few seconds. A faint sound of footsteps traveled to his ears. "Do you hear that?" He whispered. Connor confirmed with a curt nod.

"Duck it or face it?" Connor asked in a hushed tone.

"Fuck, gotta face it sooner or later. Must be a patrol or something." King then raised a finger to his lips, before nodding his head towards the corridor crossing the one they were in now. Connor returned the nod with a broad smile before turning. After Connor had hidden close, but out of sight, King continued down the corridor. He stopped after a couple yards and turned to face the direction the footsteps were coming from.

Three vampires quickly came into view. King raised his flashlight high, aiming the beam right in their eyes.

"Excuse me!" He called as the raised their hands to ward off the light, "I'm afraid this is a restricted area and I'm gonna have to ask you to-."

As soon as one of the vampires realized what was happening, he took off running towards King, the other vamps in tow. As they reached the intersection Connor tackled the forerunner, easily driving a stake through its back and into the heart. The next vampire tried to take out Connor's legs by diving towards them.

With a few running strides King was into the fight, sliding onto the ground next to the Connor and swinging a stake into the vampire attacking the Scott's legs. That vampire, too, turned to ash, setting Connor's legs unexpectedly free. The sudden release of weight caused him to lose balance and fall to the ground next to King.

King kicked out the last vampire's legs, causing him to tumble into the little floor party. Without missing a beat, Connor dug a stake directly into its heart in a practiced motion. After the ash settled, the two men looked at each other.

Connor smiled, "Teamwork." He stated happily.

"Dude," King replied with a hearty laugh, "I totally carried you. That was _all _me."

**‡**

Rob sighed again. Rob sighed a lot. He didn't like Porter, much like Porter didn't really like Rob. Evan had always been very careful in keeping them apart during hunts but this time he didn't have all the control. Something Porter was reveling in.

Rob sighed.

" Rob!" Porter exclaimed in a husky whisper, turning around sharply to face him. Rob was barely able to stop himself, his boots sliding in the dirt. Porter began once more, "If you sigh one more fucking time I will gut you and decorate a Christmas tree with your entrails!"

Rob winced. Graphic.

Porter turned around again and trudged down the corridor.

"Maybe if you didn't fucking get us _lost_," Rob muttered. Porter threw him an over-the-shoulder death glare before stopping and surveying the area with his flash light.

"We're fucking **_not_** lost." He confirmed. But he sounded like he was trying to convince himself. The corridor had opened up into another, larger cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites littered the area, wet with moisture from the underground conditions.

"We are totally lost." Rob whispered. This time Porter didn't hear. He was too engrossed with trying to figure out how he had gotten them lost. Rob began to roam the area, absently touching this and that. The rock formations had a slick feel to them.

A footstep behind him. Rob looked quizzically at Porter, a couple hundred feet away. It wasn't him. He knew he wasn't a genius, but he knew a footstep when he heard it. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he pulled his gun out of its holster, cautiously reaching for the silencer clipped onto his belt. He took an awkward step to the side, tripping over a rock formation.

Somehow Rob knew it was going to happen. Like when you see something in slow motion. He also knew he was unable to stop it. He fell to the ground, his finger accidentally squeezing the trigger as he went down. The bullet went off with a deafening bang causing the stalactite directly above him to crash to the ground.

It impaled Rob's left knee.

Porter came running the second he heard the gun shot. He dropped to his knees beside Rob, running his flashlight's beam up and down Rob's body. His immediate response being to rip the large rock out, but after seeing it, he knew that was out of the question.

"Fuck, Rob, what did you do?" He asked his voice oddly quiet.

"I don't fuckin- Ahhhh _shit_!" Rob screamed, the warm blood seeping through his clothes. Porter looked at the protruding stalactites anxiously, sizing up what to do.

"Okay."

"No!" Rob cut him off, "I heard-I know there's someone else-."

Out of nowhere a vampire came running and leapt onto Rob, swiftly reaching down and pawing at his throat. Porter frantically grabbed the gun out of Rob's hand, trying to shoot the beast off of him.

Another vampire came screeching out of the darkness, tackling Porter to the ground. He shoved the muzzle of the gun down the vampire's throat, pulling the trigger and watching the pretty colors as the vampire turned to ash.

As the vampire disintegrated in front of him, the first viciously ripped out Rob's throat. The blood spattered in the immediate area as Rob Mears gasped his last breath.

Porter felt numb. Maybe he didn't like Rob or Evan or the entire team. But they were his team and Rob was like a brother in arms.

Then world crashed down on Porter once more. The vampire that had killed Rob pounced, cat-like, onto Porter clawing at his flesh. Porter shot up to his feet, fighting for balance as another vampire attacked his legs. Slowly, they began to swarm and Hal Porter was also lost to the darkness.

**‡**

**Yep, it's always about 'King'.**

**So! another exciting chapter completed by WHATtheF and ME. Brilliantly entertaining if I do say so myself which I am cuz nobody else does, even though there were 21 of you reading this chapter... but enough of the bitterness. **

**Expect another chapter soon and this time I want some REVIEWS! **

**Jeez! What's a girl gotta do to get some input here?**


	23. Murder

**Chapter 22: Murder **

**_This was never my world you took the Angel away I kill to make everybody pay_**

**‡**

It was a maze, one I had a map to only the map was wrong and I kept getting lost. This was no ones fault, not Dom's because he wouldn't know whether the building was intact or if the tunnels were still in use. Then again this could mean they already knew we- that **_I_** was here. If that was the case then I had something for them. I had something for **_her_** the vampiress who was making the clones, copies of him.

I was confused about that as well. Why was I fighting for someone I hardly remembered? Someone who, I kept refusing to see had not cared for me half as much as I had for him.

'_Why now? Why do I see this now? The very day I come to avenge them?'_

But I knew; Hannibal King.

That's why. All these changes are because of him. I'm changing and I don't know what I will become. What if-?

'_Stop it! Stop thinking about him! You're not done you can't get sidetracked! You're a goddamn Fury and you have a job to do!! You're FURY!'_

"Fury."

**‡**

They were screaming, running away from her. This was no different from any other hunt except today it was going to be the end. They were finally going to pay, with interest.

The cold smile on her face only urged them to get out of her way. The vampires were slow and so they fell beneath her hand, ash.

"Ashes to ashes." The tone of her voice soft, almost gentle; her words struck fear in their dead hearts.

"Run away try and hide." Fury called to their backs the laughter clear in her voice as she followed them. She turned down another hall only to find a dozen of them waiting for her. The smile widened and reaching to the cuff on her left wrist she pulled out the sword. She held it point down and motioned them with her left to advance. The vampires looked to each other then burst out laughing. Three stepped aside as another knelt in their place holding a large cylinder.

"New toys..." Fury said with a slight tilt of her head. Being out of the world so long hadn't kept her from learning of its technology. "A rocket launcher." She smiled a small laugh echoing down the long corridor.

The sound echoed loudly in the stone halls as the smoke billowed out behind the missile. Fury raised her palm, eyes sparkling red to black as the invisible wave washed out. The vampires blinded by the trailing smoke completely missed the sight of the explosion or saw Fury push forward sending the cloud of dust and fire billowing back towards them.

Fury heard their screams echo as she veered off to another tunnel, for that's what these were. The castle carved into the side of the mountain had no hallways or rooms. It was made of different shaped caves depending on their use. More vampires impeded her momentum only to ash at her feet. She sliced through them like wheat taking their heads or cutting them in half. These weren't normal vampires, they were genetically engineered and more difficult to exterminate. One began to sprout a new head the body still standing.

She let the fire rage out consuming the remaining vampires before running down another hall.

She was waiting.

**‡**

"You know I get why she doesn't like me but she could have at least gotten to know me before she formed an opinion." Evan complained quietly. Yin-Zhi followed behind him pointing the flashlight at the ground so she wouldn't trip.

"There's a reason for everything." Yin replied much quieter but her answer didn't stop Evan from pouring out more complaints.

"I mean here we are, _helping,_ and it's not even our fight! She could've said thank you. She could've separated Rob and Porter." Evan sighed throwing his head back as he realized that had been a bad, bad thing.

"You think they killed each other yet?" Yin-Zhi asked just half kidding.

"Porter's probably wanting to gut him already." Evan replied with a side ways look at Yin. "So…"

Yin kept walking turning slightly to listen for any sounds that might be out of place then again they were walking down a tunnel inside a mountain in the middle of the jungle like forest of Mexico. How much more out of place could she be?

"You have an admirer."

"What?" Yin jerked at the comment turning to the sound of Evans voice though she could only see the faint shine of his eyes.

"Admirer, that skinny kid with the purple hair. You two kinda have a matching look-."

"I do not!" Yin cried out indignantly. "Oh." She gasped covering her mouth but it was too late. Her voice echoed down the tunnel and she raised the flashlight to see how far it went but the darkness was impenetrable about 50 yards down.

"You might want to keep your voice down." Evan said dryly as he screwed the silencer onto his gun. "There are vampires around."

Yin-Zhi sucked her teeth as she took her gun and screwed the silencer on as well. They didn't walk far before the attack began.

**‡**

The brilliant flash of light heralded the arrival of Jax with another set of bags full of the treasure. He turned with a heavy sigh as if he were tired from working a long day of menial labor.

"You think she's gonna let us keep any of it?" he asked the hairy half man half dog who straightened after dropping another bag in a separate pile.

"Go back for another load." Bane ordered as he padded lightly towards Jax while ignoring the question. He reached around picking up another two bags and set out another pile.

"Dude!" Jax wailed. "There's like a billion bags over there!"

Bane turned his snout twitching and the look in his eyes was annoyed. He snorted. "You sort them and I will get the rest." Before Jax, wide eyed at the prospect of more work, could say a word Bane disappeared.

"_Chi sin zai pok guy!!"_ Jax exclaimed. What he really wanted besides his share of the treasure was to go back to the castle in that godforsaken humid jungle of a forest and ash some fucking vampires!!

"But no, I'm stuck here, sorting piles of tre-a-sure…" just then the idea of sorting treasure didn't seem so bad. No one was around so who said he couldn't look in the bags and take what he liked?

"Nobody, that's who!" Jax squealed gleefully as he began to paw through the sacks.

That's how Bane found him when he returned carrying a full load, another 2dz sacks of treasure, more than Jax could carry in one trip.

"What are you doing?" Bane's voice hissed out harshly. The thump of the heavy sacks echoed loudly in the empty room and Jax flinched in surprise as much from the noise as Bane's tone.

"Just looking." Jax answered tucking a huge diamond behind his back and trying to look as innocent as a cat that'd gotten into the cream.

Bane snorted annoyed at the mess and lack of discipline Jax displayed at the most inopportune times.

"I swear… sometimes-." Bane turned with a shake of his head and disappeared again.

"What?" Jax asked the empty room. "Whaaat?"

**‡**

"_Hannibal."_ My thought went gently, careful not to hurt or startle him but-.

"Fuck! What now!? Can't you just buy a walkie-talkie?"

I sighed holding back a smile I knew had no place here.

'_They don't die as the others. Burn as many as you can and take their heads. The bullets don't keep them down, Hannibal.'_

"Nothing new. Where are you headed?"

'_I have someone waiting.'_ Some one who needed to die only this time for good.

The bitch was going to pay.

**‡**

_Goddamit! _Why does she have to be so fucking ominous? Would it kill her to tell me a _little_ bit of what she's doing? Because now I'm going to be worrying about her and not keeping myself alive. Shit. And I would _love_ to go through one hunt without JD 'mind-raping' me. Or I- with that and… Oh jeez.

And who's waiting? I have a very strong feeling that it isn't her bestest friend Susan meeting up with her for scones at Starbucks. JD, what have you gotten yourself into now?

Okay. New plan. Take care of these suckheads here and then go find her and get to play hero again. Best. Plan. EVER! But first to relay the information:

"Burn 'em!" I yelled over the sounds of battle, "Take the head and fry the cocksuckers!"

I immediately felt the heat of fire and the scream of impending death. A metallic squelching sound of metal severing bone and flesh made it to my ears. Ah, the sweet music of victory.

**‡**

She sat facing the only doorway into this cavernous room. I stopped just under the archway taking hold of the sword in a firm grip. This was it; I was finally at the end of a long journey. I didn't want to think of what would happen next, I just wanted to finish. I wanted this to end.

"Fury." The raspy voice echoed in the room. She didn't move just kept staring. It made me nervous. Why wasn't she running away? Why didn't she call for help? Where were her guards?

"I don't need them for you?"

I flinched. How had she-?

"Did you think only you could read minds?" the cackle grated on my nerves and I took a step inside without thinking. My jaw clenched as I turned to search the room seeing the darkened ceiling were shadows moved, there was a ledge of sorts up there. Light reflected off various sets of glassy eyes. Her guards no doubt.

"No. You're kind have always been known for that trick." I responded walking in outwardly calm though inside I raged and not just with anger. Fear wove its way up my spine so I felt cold.

"You've come for what little girl?"

"Fury." I corrected stopping at the foot of the stairs leading up to her seat. The huge wooden chair was too big for the thin frame sitting in it. What did I care if she fit? I was there to kill her.

"I come for you." The tip of my sword pointed towards her I placed my foot on the first step then took another and a third feeling my legs begin to tremble and my arm tire.

_'What is this'_ I frowned not understanding. The vampire cackled again and I felt my body give falling heavily to the stone steps where I sat panting as if I had run miles.

"Little girl you have no idea who you've come to." She cackled again sitting there in her large throne like seat. I raised a weary head seeing two boys come in from a door behind her. Something about them was familiar yet I couldn't place their faces.

"Mother." Both chimed each coming to stand on opposite sides of her.

"Beautiful aren't they?" her voice rasped out looking from one dark haired boy to the other. They were about 10 with big brown eyes. Their faces still held some semblance of childishness-.

"No."

"Aah. Do you see it now, Fury? Do you see what could have been?" the vampire stood placing a gentle hand on each boys head. "They are different. My best yet though they need to feed constantly. We've combined other strains of the purebloods to make them. And what better a semblance than he could I have chosen. Such a sweet boy, very beautiful with those dark eyes; the vampire stopped and looked down at me.

'_What have they done? What have they done?!'_

"He looked like you the most, didn't he?" she asked but all I could hear was this immense roar in my head. She had cloned my son. The one part of me I had thought clean, untarnished and safe from their evil hands. Yet here he was. Two of them moving slowly towards me.

"No-." I closed my eyes refusing to see what was there. I wanted this to be another dream, one of my nightmares.

"Mommie?" I flinched from their voice, the cold touch of those small hands.

"No, please…" I shook my head. '_Please not this. NOT THIS!'_

"NO!"

**‡**

"So I guess it's back to the hot humid jungle now, huh doggie?" Jax grinned slapping his hands together as if they were dusty which as Bane looked noticed they actually were. He glanced at himself seeing the smudges on his pants and dust on his paws. A pitiful whine escaped his throat which he cut short. He chanced a glance at Jax feeling embarrassed before he shook himself.

"_You find-."_

"Whoa there, chill." Jax held up a hand to quiet Bane who immediately began to growl deep in his chest. "Unlike you and Dee _I_ can't see in the dark. A mere mortal like me needs to put on those cool little contacts Dom sent in the care package." Jax opened the little case and began to poke the clear contacts into his eyes. He blinked a couple of times before finally turning to Bane with a satisfied sigh.

"_Now can we go?"_ Bane asked annoyed.

"How do I look?" Jax practically bounced on his toes turning his head from side to side.

"_Like a bony meal. Now get to the others, I'll go find the spares." _Bane ordered.

"Bony…? I work out!" Jax grumbled at the empty room before he too disappeared.

**‡**

The tunnels were dark and for any one else a very big obstacle. Bane had no trouble in the dark. Bane was used to dark places; he was most comfortable in the night roaming through the woods near the Manor. This place was no different except for the stalking vampires or the fact that it was their nest. A pretty huge nest with confusing tunnels leading to large and small caverns alike some dead ended others branched off.

Then he heard it. His ears pricked at the faint scratching. His body moved without him asking it and the closer he got the stronger the smell of blood became. Bane slowed seeing the faint glow which he reached in one bound. He poked his snout into the caver where the coppery smell overwhelmed him. He knew before he looked what the scratchy sound was.

The cavern was one of those filled with stalactites which reflected light though he wasn't sure from where. There was a dozen vampires feeding off-.

"_Too late."_ His voice rasped. The vampires shifted allowing for a perfect view of the body. It was so mangled Bane couldn't tell which one it was but from the large piece of glowing rock protruding from its leg he knew how the vampires had killed him. There was no helping either one and as much as he wanted to jump in there tearing vampires to pieces there was no time nor help close by.

From a pocket in his pants he took a small round sphere. He fumbled with the settings for a moment before managing to get it right. One last look into the cavern showed no change and with a snarl Bane threw the UV grenade.

His eyes closed as the light flickered then exploded all through the cavern. Vampires screeched loudly sending echoes down the tunnel but none escaped. The light kept bouncing from one surface to another using the stalagmites as reflectors so that the cavern glowed brighter.

There was nothing left except for two bodies. Bane turned away from the sight as he moved closer. They'd been bit, that was certain and he knew what he had to do.

**‡**

"Alright," I said satisfied and surveying the damage. Faze one complete, now to find her. "Now let's go."

Jax looked up at me, a look of pure confusion freezing on his tired face. "Unless you say 'home' I'm _not_ following."

"Gotta find her. And her little friend." I suddenly became aware of my own incoherence and ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

"JD. Where is she?"

"On her merry little way to closure." Jax answered, waving a knife carelessly in the air with a hint of annoyance. "You gonna help us with these walking piles of ash or are you gonna go gallivanting out after her?"

"Well, I suppose I'm going to go _gallivanting_, jerk-off." I snapped. I didn't mean to, I swear! I tried to reign in the attitude and slathered a few ounces of apology on my voice, "You're about done here, where is she?"

Jax rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh, pitching his hand to the left in a quick flinging motion. '_Bane! Get your canine ass over here. I got a nuisance in need of a lift.'_

"Look kid," I said, more than a little annoyed. "I've got just about as much patience as- Jesus Christ!" A big ass dog-man materialized by Jax, fangs bared and growling.

"Jesus Christ? That's a lot of patience, man." Jax grinned as Bane put away the fangs.

"_The nuisance?"_ He growled, his eyes darting from side to side.

"Nuisance? What?" I tried to help Bane by looking for the aforementioned nuisance.

"Yeah." Jax stated, ignoring me long enough to jab a thumb in my direction. "Nuisance wants Fury." Bane scrunched his big canine nose.

"_You do it." _He whined like a ten year old trying to pass the dirty dishes to his younger brother.

Jax might have answered Bane if he hadn't been unsubtly eyeing Yin-Zhi. The big dog snorted loudly, causing Jax to snap-to. "I've business." He insisted, taking a second to glare at Evan, who was throwing a vampire head first into the wall.

Bane somberly turned to me. _"You shouldn't worry. She won't like it if you do."_

I smiled, "There are a lot of things she won't like."

"_Not about you."_ He shrugged.

Write it down in the history books. Hannibal King is speechless. So I'm going to ignore it. I'm going to repress the youthful need to probe for more information. I have more important stuff-. What would he know anyways? Well, she does spend a lot of time with him and- _focus_!

**‡**

A rush of bodies seemed to flow in from darkened corners of the cavern they had been fighting in. King still couldn't see where the vampires, who varied in age from pre-teens to young adults, had come from. Something seemed off as he began to fire into the crowd. For one these vampires didn't ash with regular silver bullets which is when he noticed Jax and Yin making good with the swords. Chris wasn't far behind with the silver dagger Bane had gifted him the week before while Andie used those throwing blades she liked.

"I hope she brought enough." King muttered as he used the stakes to ash another little vampire though it was hard to get one through the neck.

"Here!" Yin threw her short blade to Evan who was being swarmed by the smaller bodies. In one smooth motion he cut down three and as they ashed he moved to the next small body.

Jax pulled a second sword from his wrist cuff handing it to Yin as they moved to stand with their backs to each other. King noticed Abby and Dudley-do-right fending off some of the older vampires. Abby was holding her own ashing them with the UV arch and fending them off with the blades in her boots but Pierce? Not faring so well

It took him twelve rounds to realize that the vampire wasn't going to down and with a sudden stroke of genius, decided to clock an advancing vampire with the butt of his gun. This only managed to royally piss the vamp off. Finally, Abby caught a glance of the ridiculously tall man flailing about and threw him a knife. He caught the knife in one hand, grabbing the vampire by the hair with his other and a quick slash he finished the vampire off.

"_No."_ Bane's voice seemed overly harsh. _"No, they can't."_

"What?" King turned to the huge beast a look of comic confusion on his face.

"_It's him. They cloned him!"_ bane growled bounding into the mass of brown eyed black haired boys.

"Him who?" King asked still confused though he noticed all the vampires resembled each other. As usual there was no one there to answer his question. Then he winced seeing Bane tear into the bodies. The pooch was either really ticked off or he enjoyed the hunt.

King became alarmingly aware of a vampire that had just launched itself at him, only to be confused once more as the vampire fell to the ground. Connor came running from behind him with a machete, jerking the vampires head off with one blow. With a complete sense of being overwhelmed, King stared off at Bane once more, who was ripping through the vampires like a chew toy.

Connor followed King's gaze to Bane, then finally broke into a smile and slapped King on the back. "You know," he began, his accent pleasantly rolling of his tongue, "I could make some stupid dog joke right now but I'm just gonna say that we need to stay on that little doggies nice list."

**‡**

'_Fury. This girl here, that's what they called her the vampires who ran from her in fear. Fury, crying for the children in front of her.' _

"So weak and still here you are. Alive." The vampire said slowly rising from her seat. The heavy folds of her robes rustled with every movement. The heat of the region didn't reach into the caves of the mountain where they had set up their labs. In there it was cool with a constant breeze passing through each tunnel.

"How did you find us?" she asked. It was a secret place, the location unmarked because of her and now the vampire wanted to know who the traitor was.

JD cried silently not bothering to look up at the crackled old face. Her vision blurred by the tears was caught by the two boys kneeling before her. The familiarity of their faces, the thoughts of what could have been and the knowledge of what they were warring inside of her.

The vampire hissed leaning towards JD menacingly, her fangs bared as her hand clawed.

"Aaaah!" JD screamed clutching at her head. Pain seemed to shoot in and out of her brain in every direction.

"Who gave you our location?!" the old vampire screamed as she bore down on the writhing form. Still the Fury did not answer. In a sudden fit of uncontrolled rage the vampire struck, kicking out at JD.

She rolled down the jagged stone stairs stopping at the bottom in a cloud of dust. Still the raging pain inside her head did not diminish. Blood oozed from the small cuts on her arms as JD tried to rise.

The vampire renew her efforts tearing into JD's thoughts.

"N-no!" JD screamed pushing the intruding vampires mind out of her own. She turned to the stairs where the vampire stood looking a little surprised.

"No." JD repeated shoving the remnants of pain away. She stood at the foot of the stairs again eyes glimmering with the red mist. Slowly, JD reached to her wrists and pulled out the Sai.

The vampire bared her fangs seeing the sparks as the Sai slowly slipped from the Fury's arsenal. That was something new, advanced technology…

"That will be mine." The vampire hissed.

**‡**

The screams, there were so many screams! Ash came down in drifts burning my eyes and clogging my throat. I was having trouble breathing and through all the echoes bouncing off the stone walls I could hear her cackling. She was taunting me!

"You're dead! I'm going to kill you!! YOU'RE DEAD!!" I raged slashing through another small body making my way to her, to the fucking bloody bitch!

'_It's not them, its not. He's not mine. He's not mine!'_ Even though I repeated those words inside I knew every body I cut down had his face, his memories…

Why? Why did they do this?

"WHY HIM! WHY!"

"He was perfect." She cackled again throwing another body before me. I had to do it, had to cut it down in order to get to her. Only I couldn't look away, couldn't stop from staring at the brown eyes looking up at me. So sad…just a child.

"A vampires child. Pureblood." She said and suddenly I found myself staring at the ground, face stinging and my sword-.

"Where-?" I looked frantic to find it because I knew she was right there standing over me.

"JD!"

The shout was loud almost deafening. Something wet splattered on my shoulder and I turned over quickly backpedaling away from her. She dropped my sword which clattered on the stones too loud. The sparks of lightning shimmered over it once twice then it was gone, returned to my arsenal as all the others.

**‡**

What the hell is she doing on the ground? You can't fight vampires on the ground. Come on, JD, just burn the bitch already. Oh, and did it even cross anyone's mind to tell me that the little half-pints of walking ash were clones of her son? How the _fuck_ was I supposed to help her handle this if I didn't know what was going on? There was no way she could handle this. Hell, I was barely able to handle it when I was faced with something similar.

Well, all the more reason to go and help her, isn't it? Just one more reason to play the white knight. It was pretty damn obvious that no one else was around to help. One more _King-to-the-rescue _moment, but this time I wasn't going to fail her. So when I saw that blood-sucking bitch raise that sword up in the air, preparing to cut JD in half I did what I do best. I put a slug in her forehead. The smoke was still floating out of the bullet hole when I shot another one in her heart for good measure. But did the fucking vampire ash?

Hell no. That would be way too easy. What the fuck, man? Why don't any of them die the easy way anymore?

And would someone _please_ tell me where all these freaking kids came from? I look up and see nothing. Yes, I'm looking at you, God. Would it kill you to help me out? Just this once? How can I point a gun at these kids? One came up and stood next to me; so young, so- they can't be any older than nine or ten. Like Zoey was when…

"Straighten up, King." I told myself out loud, hoping that hearing the words would snap my attention back. Then the little shit up and kicked me right in the fucking crotch. I doubled over, trying to catch my breath.

"The fuck, man!? I need those!" I yelled, only to be punched in the jaw by a little cretin. Time to pull out the artillery.

**‡**

I can hear him shooting and more screams some of them coming from me. I'm the one yelling. Each slash punctuated by an angry shout but I cant stop myself. This is the one making clones, copies, killing, murdering!

"You filthy animal!" Was that my voice or hers? I can't tell, don't know who I am but I keep fighting. I take a hand and this thing begins to grow it back, I take her arm and she lashes out with the hand I just removed. There's blood, it splatters my clothes and hands making the Sai slippery.

"You can't win. Not when I'm the superior being." She pushed; I could feel the barrier she lifted around me. She was trying to cage me in one of those bubbles and once she had me completely encased the oxygen wouldn't last.

"Superior? YOU'RE NOTHING BUT ASH!" She had no idea what I was capable of, how much stronger I was. I had never tested the limits of what I was or the things I could do. I had no control over the fire but with this… this I could have fun with.

I formed a pale blue mass of liquid and coated the Sai in it then changed its properties until it was a hard shell. Once they were done the Sai cut through the vampire's barrier allowing me to jump through. I felt her jerk at the sudden empty space where I had been. I had her, her throat was so close just one cut and even as I swung the Sai a rush of little bodies came between us with shouts of 'mommy' ringing around my ears. The vampire jerked out of my reach though not completely, I left her with a brand new smile, bleeding out in gushes while little fists bombarded my body.

"Kill her!" hoarse raspy whisper then all I saw was his little face.

"No, no. Stop!" Though I doubt they heard me what with all the yelling they were doing. They were so loud, so loud… I couldn't, I couldn't!

"Please, no! NO!"

But they were here and they weren't him, they weren't mine.

Ash followed me like a dark cloud punctuated by brief sparks of flames as the children ashed.

_'Please don't. Stop screaming. STOP IT!"_

When would this end? Would it ever stop? Would I be able to erase these screams from my memory?

'_Mommie! Mommie! MOMMIE_ '

"No more, please no more!" I sobbed, my face felt wet and I wiped it absently and again that shout. It wasn't in my head. I chanced a look around the cave like room and stopped cold.

He was here.

**‡**

'_This girl, _Fury_. Everyone in the vampire ranks feared her. Afraid of… this!'_

The vampire, ageless, born of the firs pureblood families. She was strong, powerful and un-afraid. The girl, _Fury_, she would die and finally the vampires could continue, un-interrupted with their plans.

The humans who resisted, even Blade had been a nuisance no where near the threat this _girl_ had become. Her presence alone had cost them billions of dollars probably more now that she had annihilated the council. The explanations to the press, people-humans… the rebuilding all of it! A nuisance, an inconvenience, an un-needed expense of money and man-hours they could have used in more productive ways, in other more important research projects.

Now, Fury was here.

Now, the girl would realize… she would see, not everything is easy.

There is always a price.

And one must _always_ pay.

**‡**

"Darling what brings you here?" it was Slade. His voice was cold and when I turned his face mirrored it.

"You do." I said stabbing a Sai towards his chest. He moved faster than I thought evading every jab I threw.

"Really Jaden, this is tiresome." He said then he hit me. I stumbled and my jaw stung. I blocked the knee aimed at my face and stabbed the Sai into it. He howled pulling away from me.

"Not too tiresome, _darling_." I advanced twirling the Sai in my hand and crossing it back and forth before me. Slade hobbled back a few paces before removing my Sai. He straightened setting his full weight on both legs. There was a slight pop as his knee mended and a grin on his face.

"That wasn't nice." Slade said.

"I'm not nice."

Both of us clashed, the sound of metal ringing loudly. He tried for my throat again and I blocked his hand. This wasn't my fault it never had been. I knew that now, I could see it.

**‡**

_"Jaden."_ He singsonged while avoiding her jabs. He could see her anger rise and smiled. This was easy, too easy and what they had planned next…? This was too good!

"Shut up!" Jaden hissed turning with another slash and a kick which he didn't manage to duck. Slade doubled over though he recovered quickly, rushing at her.

Once he had her, made her part of their family she would be his completely. Then they could use her, what she had become to find the missing link between what they were and what they wanted to be.

Slade struck cutting down her left arm leaving four jagged lines beginning to ooze blood.

Jaden hissed pulling back to a safe distance. He could see her looking up at him through her lashes. Those same brown eyes seeming to harden as he licked her blood from his fingertips.

"This will be good." He spoke softly letting a thread of menace color his voice. "We'll be a family again." Was that…longing? His face twisted in confusion. Yes, it was longing. He wanted her, wanted her to stay by his side as she had been.

There was a time when the smallest smile or a simple touch from her had filled him with… yes, it was longing. How ever she was whatever she called herself the woman before him was still his wife.

"It was never a family!" Jaden raged slashing at him.

"Now, now." Slade tsked with a jab to her chest and another to her left cheek. Both blows connected harshly pushing her back, another blow knocked her down. "I'll have to put you in your place."

From the ground Jaden threw a kick which Slade caught easily. He looked down at her smiling though it was devoid of any emotion. "And I'll enjoy it."

Slade pulled on her leg so that she rose a foot off the ground. He watched her twist in the air twice before she hit and bounced off the stone wall. The floor beneath her released puffs of dust clouds.

"Enjoy me making you ash." Jaden stood slowly clenching both hands as she moved towards Slade while the cavern echoed from the fight.

Slade laughed. "You were never so…" he searched for the right word to describe all of her, Jaden. This woman was different from the quietly obedient and shy soft voiced wife he'd had. This woman seemed more alive, passionate, angry… "Full of hate." He mumbled. The smile faded from his face as he realized this is what the vampires had feared. This woman was;

"Fury."

**‡**

"You're still a naive little girl, Jaden." He whispered close to my ear.

"Not as much." I smacked his nose with the back of my head and he shoved me. "I'm different now." I turned with a hook kick catching his shoulder. He dropped my Sai and I grabbed it turning low and coming up inside his circle.

"MOMMIE!" the scream froze my blood. It sounded so real and he was afraid.

"Our son is calling for you." Slade laughed. "Cant you hear him?"

Slade double over as I shoved the Sai in his chest. "He's not yours." I ground out.

I pulled the Sai from his chest with a flip and turned. I don't know why but I did.

The Sai left my hand with as much force as I could throw it. I saw it flip through the air taking Hannibal's gun out of his grip and stab into the stone wall.

I don't think I can ever erase the look on his face from my mind when he looked at me clutching his hand as if he were afraid I had taken that as well.

**‡**

Slade. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had ashed him. I knew that I did. After what I had seen him do to JD, there wasn't anything else I could have done except send him to Hell. He turned and looked at me. I had to keep it locked into my brain that this wasn't the same person. It was just a clone. A clone, Hannibal. I gritted my teeth and stared into his eyes. They were so cold. My body screamed to kill him, inflict pain but I couldn't move.

"Hey there, Chief." I greeted, forcing myself into nonchalance. Just another vampire. Just another vampire who-. A blast of fire went off somewhere. The air between us shimmered with the heat. The bastard just smiled at me complacently.

"And what might you be doing here?" He asked, the smile reaching his eyes.

"Just helping out a friend, you know." Another explosion went off.

"Oh," Slade said, nodding as if I had just explained why I was at the grocery store. "Well, I'm sorry that I don't have time to scuffle I have business to attend to in the form of a fiery little brunette."

"JD?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"So, you know the little bitch Jaden, do you?"

"Don't you fucking say her name," I warned through my teeth.

"_Jaden_."

I'm pretty sure he came at me first, but if you asked me straight out I wouldn't be able to tell you. All I really remember was hitting the floor and a body landing harshly on top of me. Fists came down on my head. Then he grabbed my collar and his face was inches from my nose. That's when my instinct kicked in.

I impulsively jammed my fingers around the collar of his shirt. Headbutt. His head flung back and I seized the opportunity. I flung his body off of mine, rolling with his weight and ending up in a switched position. My turn to bring the fists down.

"You didn't deserve her." I said between punches. I was putting my whole soul into these punches. All the anger. All frustration. I didn't mean to do it, but I couldn't stop. "You didn't deserve her or her child. How could you even let them _in reach_ of a vampire, huh? What were you thinking?"

I hesitated for a second, wondering why the questions had fallen out of me. Slade stole the moment and threw me off of him. We both stood slowly. An old western shoot out. This world wasn't big enough for the both of us.

"Oh," he said, fake remorse dripping out of his mouth with the blood, "but I just _wasn't_ thinking."

"You stupid bastard." I seethed, raising my pistol and\sunk a round right through his forehead. He snapped back before returning to my favorite form of vampire. Ash.

I turned my gun on the small one that had been hiding behind him. I figured if I shot it quickly, maybe my conscious wouldn't register that I was shooting a child. But this one started screaming.

"_Mommie! Mommie! MOMMIE!'_

I took a deep breath. Be strong, Hannibal. "Not gonna help ya this time, kid."

My hand jerked, but not with the recoil from the shot. I looked over to see my gun pinned to the stone wall by a familiar weapon. JD's Sai. Did she just fuckin-. Goddammit JD! I swear she has emotional ADD.

"Maybe next time you should take my fucking _fingers_!" I yelled back, adding a few thousand expletives to the end of the sentence. Suddenly, the Sai disappeared in a flash of lightning.

No. I mean that seriously. A flash of lightning engulfed the Sai and it was gone. Then my precious gun freaking exploded. Nice. I really fucking liked that one.

"You owe me, JD." I breathed.

**‡**

He tried to grab me again and we both fell. I used my elbow hearing something crunch as we rolled on the stone floor.

"My turn." I said rolling him onto his back. I shoved my fist in his face a couple of times before taking his throat.

"You never liked being on top." He swung a wide punch his eyes widening as his arm fell and ashed.

I flipped the Sai in my hand stabbing into his chest but he didn't ash.

Slade's smile grew into a grin.

"I'm not done." I said feeling the air heat up.

His eyes flickered mouth opening for a scream when the fire burst out. My hair blew out of my face and suddenly the face beneath me was gone replaced by ashes and I was kneeling on the ground the Sai point down on the stone.

"Mommy?"

"No, it's not him." I told myself steeling my mind for what I had to do.

"Mommy."

"It's not him." I repeated under my breath clutching the Sai in my hand. While the flames danced over my skin wanting to rush out and consume everything. I held it in as much as I could.

When he knelt in front of me I stayed quiet taking in his little face. He still had the chubbiness of a baby and his little eyes sparkled warmly. There was a slight flush across his cheeks and his hair was mussed, like it always was when he'd been running or playing out in the garden.

He reached for me.

"Perfect copy." I mumbled numbly closing my eyes.

**‡**

Fury, that is who I am but the woman here was a mother once. She was warm and loving and playful bringing laughter to those she loved. The boy she cradles now, his blood pooling beneath her, was her heart and soul if ever there was any thing like that.

We kill the beasts that made us into this. We are cold and uncompromising. We do what we must because that is all there is. That is all that was left.

There is no room for error and I make none. I am Fury.

She is not. She still feels, still wants love and a life. I know it is he who has brought this conflict among us as I know that this will be over. We finish now but the price-.

A mother knows.

**‡**

"No, no…" I shook my head feeling the tears hot on my face. This couldn't be happening; he was a clone, a vampire. So why wasn't he ash? Why was his blood pooling beneath me covering my hands…

"NO!"

"Perfect. He was perfect." The raspy voice behind me but what did it matter. What did any of it matter when…

"You made him human." I felt my body burning the fire beginning to rage inside wanting to escape.

"Human. Yes and look what you do with my gift." The vampires tone was more scolding than remorseful.

"You had no right." I whispered feeling his little hand touch my face. He tried to smile and inside I felt the raging torment slowly rise.

"I loved you." I whispered bending close so he could hear, his hand clenched in my hair for a brief moment. As if he wanted to pull me closer to be comforted by the beat of my own heart to feel my warmth...

His hand fell away.

**‡**

The sword wasn't heavy even with the spindle like arms and the vampire raised it high above the woman clutching the small boy to her chest. The screams tore form her throat like nails echoing through the cavern with the pain and loss.

The vampire saw only the huddled form in front of her perfectly positioned for the sword thrust. If she could've seen the eyes of the woman she had so cruelly tricked into murder the vampire might have retreated to some safety but inside the pureblood surged with triumph. Finally! The moment had come to rid the vampire nation of one of its most hated enemies. Fury.

"You had no right!" She screamed as the vampire let the heavy blade drop. As it pierced her back a wave of fire burst out of her body. The tip pushed through emerging from her chest. Another wave of fire poured out coursing with her blood and consumed the small form of the boy.

The vampire's screeches echoed down the tunnels into other caverns as she was also consumed by fire. The tunnels were soon lit in bright orange and yellow flames. They raced down into caverns catching every vampire intent on running away or finding safety.

Everything burned. Everything.

**‡**

An overwhelming sense of powerlessness seized me as I watched the vampire slide that sword into JD's back. I drew another gun from my shoulder holster. She was yelling something. Or maybe it was me. I don't think I'll ever know.

It didn't take to long to realize that Bane was on top of me. He might be a sneaky little pooch but he's the only one of his kind. That I know of, at least. But all that aside, what _the hell is he doing_?

"Get off! Get the fuck off!" I yelled at him, my limb flailing in a feeble attempt to get the beast off of me.

"_We're leaving!"_ He bellowed. Like Hell! That's what I think! Like Hell!

"Like _Hell_! Not yet, not with her-." I could have tried to finish, but it wouldn't have done me any good. Bane had already whisked me off into some new, much more leafy place. Handy trick but bad fucking timing. I glanced up, noticing a castle carved into the mountain in front me.

Oh, _please_ keep that ham and egg omelet down. I shoved a hopeful hand over my mouth. Honestly, we needed a new form of transportation. I shook my head, trying to knock any of the left over nausea out, and refocused on the mountain in front of me. Suddenly, the mountain shook. This was worse than I thought.

A split second later Bane reappeared, this time with Andie, Chris, Connor and Evan.

"Well," I said, pulling myself off the ground and dusting my pants off. "I see you left JD _there_."

"_She can take care of herself."_ He said, attempting to reassure me.

"Yeah," I chirped sarcastically, "I always take good care of myself when I have _a fucking sword in my back_!"

"King!" Someone yelled over me, I turned sharply to meet Andie's blue eyes. "Bane knows what he's talking about."

"That's a pretty fucking lame argument." I growled back. Andie was visibly shaken at my stab while Chris opened his mouth to reply. But before he got a chance Jax appeared with Yin-Zhi, Abby and Jake.

"Bane!" He yelled. Bane turned to him and nodded his head solemnly. Jax's gaze hardened before he set his shoulders squarely and turned to look at the remnants of the group.

"Everyone who made it out is here." A look of shock and alarm rippled though the group. There were two missing. Evan tried to find his voice, but before he could Jax put his hand out and continued. "We'll get you back to your place if you want. Or we can take you back to your car, whichever. Bane will deliver your pay-."

"What the fuck is wrong with you people!" I yelled, unable to control myself anymore while this little ignorant kid went on and on. "She is still in there! Don't you realize that! Can't you do the-?" I waved my hands around flamboyantly, pantomiming the disappearing thing. "With the…and the- the thing?"

Jax just shook his head. "We need to get you out of here-."

"Oh, like Hell! I refuse to leave her behind! No!" Why wouldn't anyone listen to me? Thankfully Evan piped up.

"Yeah," He began slowly, testing out his voice's effect. "I don't feel comfortable leaving her here. And I wanna make sure that-."

"_They're gone."_ Bane said, cutting Evan off and confirming their worst fear._ "I saw them. There was nothing left to do. You all need to leave, it isn't safe here."_

That's when every last person in the group decided to throw in their two cents. Except for Yin-Zhi. She was quiet, sitting back, adamantly watching both Bane and Jax. No doubt picking up on the nonchalance with which they were treating the situation. To my surprise, she turned to me and laid her tiny hand on my bicep.

"Don't worry." She said calmly, "They know what's best. You said it your self they know more about this than any of us. They know _her_." Everyone grew quiet, all apprehensively staring at me. I let out a large sigh. I couldn't leave her. I just couldn't.

"_I'll take you to her once she's rested."_ Bane promised in a voice full of reassurance.

"She's coming out." I don't know if it was a question or a statement. But I meant it.

"_Yes. She's coming out."_ Then again Bane would know, right? Both of them would know and it wasn't as if she could die not permanently…?

And once more I found the world changing in front of me, a mixture of sadness and confusion coursing through me.

Or maybe that was just nausea again.

**‡**

**Alright one more chapter for your reading pleasure and the least you all can do is review. something along the lines of; "WTF your're a writing geneous!" or "Kaoz, nice plot."**

**Hey I'm just saying... ) **

**One more chapter to go before we start tying things up either that ir this is gonna turn into some book!**


	24. What have I done?

**Chapter 23: What have I done?**

**_Feels like the weight of the world like all my screaming has gone unheard and oh, I know you don't believe in me safe in the dark how can you see?_**

**‡**

There were screams more than ever before and he was here. My little one, his eyes glimmering with tears, lying in my arms. He didn't speak, he couldn't. Why didn't he speak? As I looked down again my hands stood out among the darkness. Light dimmed until only my hands were in light so the crimson streaks glimmered wetly over my skin. The copper smell was suddenly overwhelming I felt my throat clog.

"AAH!" my scream echoed off the dingy walls some plaster crumbled with the resonance and fell clattering hollowly among the debris.

I looked around trying to hold in my screams. I was here again, in the lab. The broken furniture, the musty smell, charred walls and leaking pipes. I was home.

Had I brought myself here?

The sight of my bloodstained hands only confirmed what I had thought was another nightmare. I pushed off the mattress clumsily getting to my feet and knocking debris as I did.

"He was real! Human! HE WAS REAL!" I screamed though no one could hear me.

How could this be? Why had they made him? Why?

"Why! Why! Why!" I was angry, hurt, full of guilt. Had I not murdered my own child? Had I not shoved my blade into his heart?

I grabbed the closest thing to hand and threw it across the room feeling no satisfaction at the clattering it made. Wood splintered, glass shattered as well, but I didn't care. I picked up another piece of table and threw it but still- there was no satisfaction. The pain wasn't enough.

The pain. I'd had a sword shoved through my back. But I couldn't tell what had been the nightmare and what was real.

I tore at the vest pulling it off until I could touch the material on my back. High up, almost high enough I couldn't reach was a tear in the tank. Looking down at my chest I noticed the darker color between my breasts.

"Blood."

I'd died… hadn't I? didn't matter, nothing did. This time I'd killed him. Murdered…

**‡**

Jax sat in the chair across from the table, his leg had been twitching since we'd come in. We looked at each other feeling edgy; she hadn't stopped screaming since early that morning. Occasionally we heard the sound of things breaking though there wasn't much to break, not in the lab.

"Are you going in there?" Jax spoke quietly as if she could hear us. I wasn't sure she couldn't but I seriously doubted she would with all that noise.

"You want to go in there?" I asked.

"Nah, dude. I like breathing." Jax sat up leaning forward. I recognized the look immediately and sat back in my chair waiting for it.

"You know… King's been bitching a lot." He looked over his shoulder as if some one would come in to the solar and hear us. Except there was no one here but us, no one besides the three of us. I turned slightly to the window in the direction of the lab.

"Why don't you go pick him up? Maybe he can-." He shrugged hooking a thumb towards the lab where a fresh scream rent the evening air. "You know."

I sighed closing my eyes. Was it safe to bring the human here? To her? What if she killed him?

"Valen… come on dude! Neither of us wants to go in there. Let the King clear the way." Jax was practically begging then again he could transport Hannibal here himself. It wasn't the same, Jax and Daphna both used the technology Dom's grandfather had discovered while I-. I was born this way. A monster inside this shell with the face of a man...

"Jax-."

"What? She's not gonna kill him." He flopped back blowing out a heavy breath before frowning. "She won't, will she?"

I stood already shrugging out of my coat. "You ate anchovies on that pizza and onions. You really expect Yin-Zhi to go near that stench you call a mouth?" I asked kicking off my boots.

"Don't be a dick!" Jax cupped a hand to his mouth and blew trying to smell his breath. He saw my grin and gave me the finger as I shifted to Bane.

_"Do it again, Jax. I'm feeling hungry."_ I snapped my teeth towards him as if I would bite.

"Ha ha fucker, now get."

**‡**

"And another thing!" King yelled, pacing around like he was mad at the floor. Andie flipped a weary look to Chris across the table, which was littered with various pieces of treasure. Chris frowned back; King had been like this since Bane had dropped them all off at the car and it was really starting to piss Chris off. King jabbed a finger in the air and began another rant.

"It's the fucking twenty first century! I know they can't stand to use a fucking car, but a _phone_!? Who the fuck doesn't have a phone?"

"JD, obvious-." Andie smacked Chris in the back of the head before the words could finish their trip out of his mouth. He threw her a glare, muttering something about not fucking doing any fucking thing and looking back down at a gold chain he was untangling from a silver one.

Chris rolled his eyes and sighed, "Would it have killed Jax _not_ to tangle everything up?"

"No, but he probably would have been killed if he'd taken the time to." Evan chided as he walked into the room, giving King all the attention that he gives the plaster on the walls. King threw a sneer of a hello Evan's way as the vampire plopped down in a seat next to Chris and picked up a large ruby ring. He tossed it to Connor as the Scot strode in the room, grabbing a chair as he caught the insanely large ring.

"It suits you, Princess." Evan said.

"_Oh my God_!"ﾝ King screamed abruptly. "Who the hell else are they going to talk to? They gotta be fucking lonely up there! Cause I know, I've been there! And there ain't nobody but nobody and whole lotta fucking mountains!"

Connor stifled a laugh, "He still got a few busted fuses?"

"I think the whole breaker box is shot." Chris replied, shoving his fingers though his hair as King whipped around.

"I'll shoot _your_ fucking breaker box, kid!" He roared, "Why the _fuck aren't we doing anything_? God!" King kicked a chair across the room and began to pace once more.

Andie slapped her hand down on the table, causing a few jewels to tumble off the sides. "He's just _worried_ about her," She explained with an annoyed tone, "That's all. I hope you'd be worried about _me_."

"Nah," Chris began, leaning back in his chair like the emperor of the universe, "Any one who takes you usually just gives you back."

Evan caught the wink Chris had thrown in his direction, replying with a hearty laugh. Even Andie let a nervous giggle escape. It wasn't often that Chris would joke about something like that. Maybe it was a good sign.

"I mean, _what the hell_?" King boarder line screamed the words. Yin walked quietly into the room, eyeing King wearily.

"Poor guy." She stated with a sad smile as she picked the chair up off the floor. The girl looked around the room at the NightStalkers. After the loss of two members, both cells decided to stick together for a well deserved vacation. But who knew how long it was going to last, what they were going to come back to or if King could even get himself through one more day. King muttered a few more phrases before meandering out of the room. And then it dawned on her.

"Hey," She chirped, "where the hell are Abby and Jake?"

"Probably having more fun than us," Chris grumbled, tipping his chair on its back legs.

"Don't lean back in that chair," Andie warned, "And what's that supposed to mean?" She scoffed, tossing a curl off of her face. Evan rolled his eyes with a smile while Chris replied.

"Don't be so naive, babe." Andie looked at him for a second before gasping.

"You don't think-." She began before trailing off. No one would have heard her anyways, seeing as how the entire room had erupted into laughter.

"I dunno," Connor said through his smile, "That Pierce guy seems awful innocent…"

"That's not what I heard."

Everyone turned around to see Abby standing in the doorway. Jake was standing behind her with one arm braced on the doorframe and the other around her waist; both wearing identical smiles. The kind of smile that is quietly satisfied, though you know the person is just laughing up a storm in their head.

He spun her around and kissed her, letting his lips linger before escorting her into the room. The entire room watched as Jake dropped into a chair and Abby took her seat on his lap.

"Well, well, well," Evan drawled, a knowing smile slipping over his mouth. "What have _you_ been doing?"

"Talking." Jake stated, matter-of-factly, though his smile might have said otherwise.

"Ah-hem," Andie said, clearing her throat, "What about?" She asked innocently.

Abby turned to Jake and smiled before beginning. "What kind of house we're going to buy."

Anyone who wasn't absolutely flabbergasted yelled out exactly how surprised they were. Abby simply smiled back, though keeping her eyes on Jake, "I can't live like this forever." She explained. "I fight every day for other people's lives, but when do I get to have my own?"

Andie noticed how the smile seemed to have grown sad. She took Abby's hand and smiled reassuringly.

"This is big." King had reappeared in the doorframe that Jake and Abby had just been occupying. "Never thought I'd see the day when you would walk away from the fight, Whistler."

"Yeah," Abby agreed, looking down at the floor. "I just-. I want a _family_. Of my own."

"Well, good for you." Connor congratulated earnestly. But the reality had seeped into the air. Could you live this life forever? Could anyone?

"I tell you what I want," Chris said, leaning back in his chair once more and receiving a glare from Andie. "I want a big humongous sandwich." Connor laughed.

"Oh, I second that, boy-o!"

"I want a friggin comfortable bed," Evan complained. He had decided to give the last bed to Yin-Zhi, and had been sleeping on the lumpy couch they had found in an abandoned house. Nothing like polyester fabric and the smell of must to put you to sleep at night.

"Yeah and I want someone to fucking _tell me_ what is going on with her!" King blurted.

"Oh my God, Dad, shut _up_.: Chris moaned.

"No! It's not like I don't fucking deserve to know, you know? I'm pretty sure I've saved her ass at least once! And does that merit me the information? Fuck no! It's still classified; lock down, only if you have magic powers, info!" Chris put his hand to his forehead

"I'm sorry," King yelled to the ceiling, "I'm sorry that I don't have a fucking _dragon_!"

"_That's really not necessary."_ Bane appeared in the room, just behind King. _"We don't have any magic either. It's the way we were made."_ He said in that soft raspy voice.

Everyone felt a wave of relief at his presence ignoring his last comment. This was the first time they had seen him since their attack on the vampires and it felt good to know that he was still alive. Chris, however, had a completely different emotion in mind.

He leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table. "Bane! Take my Dad! I'm begging you, just take him!"

"No!" King protested, "I'm not going anywhere until-."

And just like that, King and Bane we're gone. Connor rubbed his eyes while Abby just shook her head. "Thank God."

**‡**

"You know," I started, struggling picking myself off the ground, "A warning would be nice. Just once." Once more, I found myself in the now way-too-familiar manor. I looked on as Bane became Valen.

This was too weird even for me, a NightStalker. I mean I've seen vampires sure but this? This was- I mean he- aww hell! It was like watching one of those cheesy vampire flicks with the mist and the fog then the shape of a man looming over the victim.

Only this wasn't a vampire and there wasn't any fog; just some dark smoke like clouds and the sick snapping of bones as the figure shrunk about a foot and a half. The blackish-gray fur sorta got sucked into his skin until Valen stood there looking at me.

Maybe it was my imagination but I thought I saw a flicker of a grimace pass over his features before he straightened. I noticed the slight sheen of sweat over his skin and wondered if maybe it hurt to do that. You know, shape shift?

Valen looked down at me impassively while Jax stuck out a hand to help me up. I shook off the nausea and grabbed his hand. He lifted me off the ground and I brushed the dirt off my pants.

Then I heard it. A scream ripped through the quiet air. I slowly turned to Jax and Bane. But I knew who it was and it wasn't either of them.

I kept my eyes on the ground. "Where is she?"

When I finally lifted my gaze, Valen met it with sad eyes. "In the old laboratory. North of the stables."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Fucking stables?" I waved my hands to stop any explanation, with a sigh. "Which way?"

I followed Valen out of the solar and to the garden we had first arrived in. It looked the same, weeds growing wild among the flowers which amazingly still bloomed. Finally, Valen pointed at a building. He began to walk away and I stood there, watching him. The second he was out of sight, I ran. The grass still wet beneath my boots and how do I know? Because I almost fell on my ass rushing to get to her.

Even out here the sounds of her and breaking furniture was all too clear. Too clear for my taste. I don't know which is worse. The blinding pain that went through my brain at the council building or listening to this. There was pain in both. But only one pulled my emotions through the wringer.

What had caused this? I ran everything that had happened through my head. There were vampires- but hell, there were always vampires. And there was Slade. But she couldn't-. There's no way she could. Could she? How could she have feelings for someone who had not only almost killed her, but had killed her son. _Their _son.

And what about me. She knew about my feelings. But did she care?

And the kids. They cloned her son and she'd been tearing them down left and right before I came in the room. Like it didn't bother her. Like any other vampire.

It had to have been the last one. The littlest one.

I reached my hand out towards the door when another one landed on my shoulder. I turned to see Valen. So much for _not_ looking like a desperate fool. He looked at me a little too long. We were both uncomfortable, I could see it his eyes.

"Hannibal, she's-." He said in a quiet warning, "This is different. You might get hurt."

I scrambled for a smile. "Well, then just pray I don't come out looking like a human torch."

**‡**

The room was dark and musty. Not exactly words that I use synonymously with JD. But then again, it was probably twelve times better than breaking shit in the mansion. Can you say, _expensive_? I know I can, I just don't like to. Gives me indigestion.

There was so much debris I practically had to climb over it. Various pieces of lab equipment littered the floor, along with a nice sprinkling of shattered plastic and glass. It was next to impossible too see anything, never mind the dark. As much as I hate to hear her scream, I needed the sound to follow. It wasn't like I could see any light switches, not that it would have done me any good since most burnt down laboratories don't have electricity.

The toe of my boot snagged something and I stumbled. I reached out to grab anything I could to keep from having the linoleum floor for dinner. You would think with all the fucking debris I would have caught something but no, not me. I just fell down like a sack of rocks, crashing to the floor and clocking my knee on something hard.

"Ow! Fucking shit, JD, that better not have been you!" I yelled to the air.

As if to punctuate my sentence, a shape shifted in the darkness. I almost smiled, I know that's you, JD. Her voice gave her away, even if I couldn't here what she was saying. I cracked a glow stick and held it in front of myself, watching as the building took on a sickly green glow. Like the _Creature from the Blue Lagoon_ or the Green Lagoon because, you know- never mind.

It only took a few more steps for her to come into view. She was huddled in a corner.

"Blood stains, he's broken and bleeding- doesn't see! Never repair…" I was close enough to hear her words, but I don't know if I would ever be close enough to understand them. I reached my hand out to touch her, to bridge the gap between us but she flinched

"Get away!" She screamed at me, "Get away! No more. Please…never alive, never die- life's denied... Stop!"

"JD, calm down. _Please_." My voice cracked too much for my own liking. I tried to edge in closer to her, but she wouldn't even look up at me. Finally, I knelt quietly beside her, taking her hand as gently as I could. I was going to tell her it would be alright because I loved her.

That's when I noticed her hands. They were covered in blood and the skin off her knuckles was nowhere to be seen.

"JD, what-." I couldn't even find the words, "Your hands, baby." That was insightful. There had to be something I could do, but I was at such a loss. "C'mon, I… You know that-. This isn't…" I fumbled the words in my mouth. Dammit, Hannibal! Pull it together. I shook my hand and moved to pick her up.

"Let's get you back in the manor and-."

"No!" She scrambled away from me like my touch had hurt her. I fell to the floor as she pushed me away, my face landing firmly on the floor. After I shook the cobwebs out of my head I stood up to see her facing the wall.

"Can't hear don't want to listen. They're screaming… so loud! Make them stop! Please make them stop…" Her voice alternated from soft to loud as she beat her fists into the stone wall. I had done this before, and I'd be damned if I'd let her do the same.

I got up on my feet, quickly reaching out and grabbing her arm. I spun her around to face me. "Stop it, JD."

She kept mumbling, refusing to look at me. I reached up with my free hand, taking her face and forcing her to look at me. For a second her eyes searched my face, as if looking for a deep dark secret.

"HE WAS REAL!" She screamed. "HE WAS REAL!"

**‡**

"He was alive, in my arms- AND LOOK WHAT I'VE DONE!!" her hands covered in blood, his face blurring everything else.

"Please…what have I done?" her voice whispered echoing in the hollow emptiness of the burned building. Her legs buckled and she slipped through his hands. He tried to hold her, tried to help but her arms were slick with blood and she slid from his grasp.

How was he to help?

"Bloody hands, empty eyes, little angels in heaven…" She mumbled. Her words unnerved him sending shivers up his spine as he knelt by her once more.

She grabbed her head. "Angel's come to torment. Please get him out. Make it stop! Please…" she sobbed. No one knew what she felt, how could they? Every one so safe in their little nests, so warm and happy.

This wasn't supposed to happen; she wasn't supposed to be this thing! Her life was meant to have a 'Happily ever after' ending; it's the way it was meant to be.

So, how…?

"Jaden…" his hands rested gently on her back and shoulder.

"No!" she pulled away cradling her hands. "No, don't call me that. Not you." She didn't want Hannibal to be like him.

"Al right, ok." King tried again taking her wrist and she fell into his arms. Her body trembled though she was any thing but cold.

"Let's get you inside. Come one."

"No, please…" she pushed away though King kept a slippery hold on her arm. Both fell over onto something soft and JD crawled away.

"JD, where-? Fuck." King took another glow stick from his pocket and cracked it. The eerie green light showed her huddled on the far end of a mattress.

'_What the fuck?'_ King crawled over laying a hand on the surprisingly dry mattress. He passed the light over it seeing it reflect greenish-white at him.

"JD lets go inside. Valen and Jax are waiting-."

"No. Can't go back, never…"

King realized he was going to have to do things the hard way. Not that he thought it was going to get him any where but he was going to try.

"You're coming back to me and we're going inside." He ground out reaching for her. "Even if it kills me."

**‡**

**So, tell me... What do I have to do to get reviews here?**

**Doesn't any one have an opinion on this FanFic? Any one?**


	25. Fly Away

**Chapter 24: Fly Away **

**_You think you know me, well you're wrong, doesn't matter all of us cast asides became what has become Tears from the sky, in pools of pain Once you're lost in twilights blue you don't find your way the way finds you._**

**†**

The light glowed behind the glass as the sun rose bathing the room in soft warm colors. The pale rose walls seemed to absorb it reflecting it to the couple still sleeping. There weren't many furnishings besides the huge four poster canopy bed, a dark cherry wood dresser, two old fashioned French chairs, small side table and two book shelves. The furnishings were faded and dull the bookshelves held some books though not many and a couple of framed portraits. On the table rested an old fashioned oil lamp the chairs on either side.

An ornate mirror hung above the dresser reflecting the light onto the bed. The canopy had long since been striped of its cloth and only the bare wood was left. The posts were thick and carved with an elaborate vine design. It had served well for countless generations, the most current Jaden Daphna Riven.

**†**

The warmth combined with the light filtering into the room woke me from sleep. As I opened my eyes I noticed the flecks of dust motes floating in the sunlight, the soft colors in the room, to the scent of lilies and something else slightly disturbing in its familiarity. The heaviness I felt in my body on waking was mostly due to the muscular arm resting over my chest.

The frown on my face deepened as shadows of memory began to play out in my brain. The softness of a touch, the feel of skin gracing skin, the warmth of a kiss…

"Hannibal." His name escaped past my lips before I could think to stop- but stop what? There was nothing else to stop and as I lay beside him, watching him sleep thoughts of what could be flitted around my mind.

My hand moved of its own volition towards his face. Gently so as not to wake him I moved the strands of hair from his brow. Was it possible to have all the things I had wanted before? Could I begin a new life now that the last had ended? Had it ended?

The last time he had been here he hadn't stayed. This wasn't his place and he couldn't leave his family behind.

Would I leave this, everything, all of them? Riven Manor was my home, overflowing as it was with the haunting memories, this is were I belonged. If I left it, left everything I knew-.

'_Stop this. He won't understand and neither will they.'_

Even if I left it wouldn't be enough. I wasn't like them and had no place among the NightStalkers.

As gently as I could I slipped out of the bed; away from Hannibal, his warmth and the promise of everything life with him could be. He stirred in his sleep shifting towards the empty spot. His hand closed as if trying to hold on. It was difficult, moving away, to the door, putting one foot in front of the other when what I really wanted was to-.

'_No. Put those desires aside and look at harsh reality.'_

The robe lay by the foot of the bed and before I lost my nerve I snatched it up. The cool silk slipped over my bare skin as light as a feather the scent of lilies and the warm sunlight filled the room overwhelming my senses.

The cold metal of the latch seemed to burn my palm as I turned it. The slight click as the door opened echoed loudly to my ears but Hannibal didn't stir again. As I slipped out I took one last glance in the room.

Hannibal lay on his side, arm stretched towards the window. Dust motes floated about the room the sunlight seeming to halo around his sleeping form. I followed the curve of his back seeing the strong muscles… this was harder to do than I'd thought.

The door closed soundlessly and I lay my forehead on the wood. For a moment it felt as if I were drowning and I couldn't get a breath. Something tickled down my cheek and I raised a hand to brush it aside. The wetness drew my attention and I stared at my fingertips.

"Tears." I whispered my eyes turning to the heavy door in front of me. I couldn't see past it but I didn't have to. I knew what I was leaving.

"Hannibal… I'm sorry."

**†**

I guess I could say I was surprised, but that would be a bold faced lie. Don't get me wrong, last night I would have told you a thousand reasons I knew she would stay but deep down I knew she would be gone when I woke up. Deep down I knew that I had fixated my affections on something unattainable.

It hurt more than anyone could ever know and the sheer fact that I knew the second she laid down next to me it wouldn't last made it just that much worse. I went for it anyway and I guess you could say I felt cheated; bittersweet with a side of betrayal.

And is it so wrong that I wouldn't trade it for the world?

The biggest question, I suppose, is if she will come back to me this time. Because let's face it, I'm usually the one chasing after her. Okay, I'm _always_ the one chasing after her but as much as I love her, I cannot spend my entire life in such a one-sided relationship.

But sometimes-_sometimes-_ I see hope. Just a glimmering little sight of what maybe-just maybe-she wants. Me.

'_You can't live this life forever.' _

_That's what Abby had said. Abigail Whistler, the baddest huntress this side of fucking Xena the Warrior Princess, had said it. And it was true. This life was taxing, to say the least_

_I couldn't help but smile when I peeked into the kitchen and saw them. Abby was standing next to the counter pouring a glass of water with her left hand while Jake sat a few feet away at the table, contentedly finishing a plate of scrambled eggs with his left hand. His right arm was almost completely outstretched, his fingers loosely entwined in Abby's. They both had these simple smiles on their faces. And I desperately wanted it. I want that smile. _

_I took care as I quietly stepped out of the room to not bother the couple. I absently made my way to the living room, stopping in the hallway and looking at the crew. My eyes traveled to my step-son, using his free time to carefully scrape a large knife against a wet stone, sharpening the wicked looking blade to maximum lethality. He shouldn't be doing that. He was twenty years old. He should be using this time to bug his girlfriend to let him go out with his friends. But Andie was too busy throwing knives at a picture of a Count Chocula on the wall. And Chris' only friends were spread out on the floor, quietly cleaning out their weapons. _

I shook my head, this was no life for anyone. Anyone at all. I was ready to leave this life behind. Leave it to the young ones, the ones with more heart and more drive. With more time.

Because mine is slipping through the cracks. I can't have it back, but I want the rest to count. To someone. To a specific someone.

I looked down and opened my fist. What had I been thinking when I slipped it in my pocket? Only I hadn't been thinking, there hadn't been time to think but it caught my eye and I remembered the ruby's she'd worn to the black and white affair. She'd like it wouldn't she?

The red stone looked back as if angry, sparkling in the warm sunlight, not that I blamed it since I was feeling just a little of that myself. This little thing, the square cut ruby and the three tear shaped diamonds- the gold ring I had snuck into my pocket as Rob had dropped his armload of treasure. It cast rainbows on the walls and on my chest as I sat on her bed. Her side was still warm, the pillow still had the impression of her head and I could swear she was still here. If I closed my eyes… I could still smell her soft flowery scent. I closed my hand on the ring feeling the stone bite into my palm as the gold band left its swirling imprint on my skin.

As much as I want to say that I have a plan, I don't. To be completely honest, I don't know if she even wants to see me. Let alone spend the rest of her life with me. But that won't stop me because I want to know. I need to know.

**†**

"_Daphna," Valen followed her as she entered the library. "What are we supposed to tell him when he asks for you?"_

"_Because you know he's gonna ask, you know that right?" Jax leaned against one of the huge bookcases ready to follow if she went out of the library. They had been following her around the Manor for ten minutes trying to figure out what had happened._

'Not that it's difficult to imagine what happened._' Jax shook his head humorlessly._

"_Nothing." Daphna turned to both young men. "You say nothing."_

"_We can't do that Daphna; he's risked his life for yours more than once-."_

"_Not that he's been able to save hers but hey! Like it matters huh?" Jax threw his hands up at Valen's glare. "What?"_

"_He's earned our respect if nothing else." He spoke to Jax but his words were meant for Daphna as well. "You can't keep running from him."_

"_I'm not. I just-." Daphna shook her head as if that would clear her mind from the torments she imagined. "I'm not like them. I've been alive over a hundred years and look at me!" her voice rose clearly anguished over the situation._

"_So you're a freak. Big deal!" Jax waved aside her protest. "It hasn't run him off. The dude keeps coming back for more pain and humiliation." _

_Valen shook his head._ 'Leave it to Jax to put things bluntly.'_ To Daphna he said; "You care for him. Don't say it's not true. I've seen the way he behaves with you the way you respond to him. Take your happiness and leave the past behind."_

"_It's not that easy." Daphna began though she spoke half heartedly. "I haven't aged. I don't di- stay dead and how can I take him away from his family? He belongs with them." Daphna dropped into the plush armchair by the fireplace and wiped a tired hand over her face._

"_You could go with him." Valen's normally quiet voice seemed softer. Daphna raised her head knowing it had been difficult for him to say that. If she left he would truly be alone in the Manor. Jax was going back to school, the hunt was over and there was no need for either of the young men to postpone their lives any longer._

"_I don't belong with them either, Valen." Daphna spoke softly the smile on her face sad even as she got up to leave. "Don't tell him." She said though the look in her eyes was gently beseeching._

"_Where are you going?" Jax asked the question both men wanted to know the answer to. She glanced over her shoulder at the purple haired kid for a moment before staring up at Valen. She let out a heavy sigh, shoulders sagging slightly as she walked out of the library._

"_I'll be in New York."_

"_Why New York?" Jax called after her but there was no answer. Valen watched the empty doorway silently and when Jax moved to follow her he pulled him back._

"_What the hell, dude?" Jax glanced at the hand on his arm before frowning up at Valen._

"_She's going to see your brother's friend." He said dropping the arm._

"_What friend?"_

"_Dr. Reed."_

**†**

She was gone. And that was that. King shuffled into the dinning room with a defeated look on his face. On the other side of the room a pair of blue eyes looked up at him.

"Fuckin' great." He mumbled. Valen gave an embarrassed smile and looked back down at the floor. He had a good idea of what King was thinking and it wasn't _'I just got dumped and now I get to hang out with her bestest friend! Yipee!'_

Valen sighed. What was he supposed to say? Daphna's words echoed in his mind; _'Don't tell him…its not that easy… I'm not like them…I don't belong…'_ but she did belong only she was too stubborn too see it. No, not stubborn, afraid to be vulnerable and loose the ones she loved again.

"You had to know that was going to happen." King's head snapped to the other door way, the one that Jax now occupied. He strode into the room nonchalantly, taking a big bite of the apple he was carrying. Valen braced himself as King ground his teeth and wrapped his hands around the back of a heavy wooden chair.

Jax didn't even flinch as the chair went sailing past his head, splintering against the wall behind him. "You know," he said through a mouthful of apple, "I'm going to let that one go, because you're upset and I understand that. And I know that deep down, you really really love me."

King looked at him for a second, tilting his head to the side. He couldn't quite make up his mind. Did he want to strangle the kid or throttle him to death? Better idea. Flying lessons. That window over there looked like it was the perfect Jax-size. Jax saw King coming at him – because let's face it, the man is not exactly made for sneaking up on people – and back pedaled towards the doorway.

While King may have not been built for stealth, he definitely made up for it in speed. Before Jax was able to scoot his ass out the room King latched his fingers onto the collar of Jax's shirt. Jax closed his eyes tight when he saw King cock back a fist to beat him with and said a small prayer to God. _God, please don't let the last thing I see to be this guy's freaking fist._

But the punch never came. There was no thwack of fist hitting flesh. No cracking bones or sharp, shooting pains. That's when Jax came to the only conclusion he could think of: He was dead. He was dead and Hannibal King had killed him with one punch. Then he noticed the yelling. And the fact that King was still trying to shake the brains out of his ears. So maybe he wasn't dead. But that might not have been an idea, because if King got any angrier…

Valen had come between Jax and King, shoving the larger man with all the strength he could muster. "Stop it!" He yelled into King's face, "Just cut it the _fuck _out!"

That's when Jax remembered the half eaten apple in his hand and did the worst possible thing he could have done with it. He hurled it at King's head. King made one last attempt to rattle Jax's eyes out of their sockets before Valen simultaneously pushed King back into the room and elbowed Jax in the nose.

King stumbled backwards tripping on his own feet and falling against the mahogany table in the middle of the room. Valen threw Jax a glare that had _'I'll get you later'_ written all over it.

"God!" King yelled, ramming his fist onto the unforgiving table. "What the _fuck _did I do! Huh? What? Do I have bad breath? Do I fucking snore or something? Because I'm pretty fucking sure that I haven't sold her _or_ her son out to any vampires lately and in the normal world that would give me a leg up on the competition. Any other girl would be pretty fucking happy with me! I'm a fucking catch! But _nooo_! She just up and fucking disappears like she's Casper the Bi-Polar Ghost. Say 'bye-bye' to stability kids! It's way too over-fucking-rated!"

As if to add a visual exclamation point to the tirade, he kicked another chair into the wall.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked himself this time, his voice quiet.

"Nothing." Valen said softly. His answer startled King, he then turned around to meet Valen's blue eyes. "It's what you did right."

"That doesn't even make sense." King replied with a dry laugh, turning his back to the others once more.

Jax nodded his head in agreement. "And it's corny as hell." Valen shot him another _'I'll get you later'_ look, only this time it was laced with an _'And it's gonna hurt like hell'_ grimace.

King whirled around, his teeth already gritted and his body already ready to rip Jax a new one. Valen gave King an remorseful look, like a man apologizing for a younger, much more annoying jack-ass of a brother.

"Hannibal," He began, sitting in one of the few chairs that King had yet to demolish. "I know how this looks—"

"Like she's getting a real good laugh at toying with my emotions? Because you're doing a really fucking good job of tricking me." King interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest and cocking his eyebrow. Valen just waved his hand in the air with a hint of annoyance before plowing on.

"She keeps running from you. She lets you in then she runs…" Valen shook his head with an inaudible sigh. "Daphna isn't like you or the others and she knows it. Its one reason she pulls away from what she wants, pulls away from you. She's afraid to loose herself, afraid she'll get too close and then when you're gone-." Valen sat back in the wooden chair staring at King with an unreadable expression. For a second he thought about telling him, even taking him to her but she didn't want to see Hannibal. Not now but he knew Daphna would eventually miss him and find some excuse to come across Hannibal.

"Well, when you're gone… What then? Because the life you lead isn't made for growing old. Old gets you killed and Daphna isn't stupid. She knows this, knows you thrive on it and won't pull you away from it."

King let the information sink in, which was hard considering he was a thick-skulled, red-blooded American man, but he did. He had been so concerned with the fact that he couldn't live this life forever that he forgot that he _wasn't_ going to live forever. And Daphna was going to be around a lot longer than he was. So what was it going to be? What was he going to do?

"Can I, uh…" He licked his lips, "Can I just know where she is?"

Jax came from the back of the room with a low _'uh-hu'_ chuckle, "Do you really think we would tell you?"

Valen barely had time to react when he saw King's jaw line steel and the death glare return to his eyes. Jax had already begun to scuttle out of the room.

"What he _means_ to say _is_ we would tell you _if_ we knew." Valen yelled, carefully eyeing King and Jax. Jax stopped in his tracks, eagerly nodding his head.

"I mean," he tried to explain as Valen suppressed the urge to throw Jax out of the window, "That if she wanted to be with you, then she probably would, you know? So I guess that if it's gonna work out then it will, you know?"

King tipped his head to the side once more. Was that supposed to make him feel better? He blinked a couple times. "Okay. I… uh, guess?" King stood for a moment, trying to swallow his emotions. He let his voice harden, "I'm not looking for her this time. I won't."

Valen gave King a small smile and a nod. Maybe he understood now. After all the yelling, screaming and property damage, he might finally understand.

King, on the under hand, suddenly felt a pang of loneliness. A need to be with his family. The people who wouldn't run from him. The people who wouldn't even leave him alone to take a piss.

On his way to the door, he stopped and turned around. "I know this is going to seem weird," he began, awkwardly scratching his head, "But could I get a ride home…"

**†**

**Alright, we've come to the end and as usual WHATtheF has put the icing on my cake. :) Thanks to all of you who have left reviews and all 1198 of you who've read our fanfic. This has been really fun so much fun that I'll be writing a sequel. Stay tuned for an Epilogue.**


	26. Epilogue

**_AN: The new chapter got moved up to #11 Check out Valen.  
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**Epilogue**

_**Would've told you then you were the only thing I could love in this dying world, touch your lips to mine and I begin to remember to be alive, I've felt a loss for some time I want to fall in love and leave tonight.**_

The warm air felt soothing and it was all around me carrying all the worries and headaches from my shoulders. I could almost pretend everything was all right. I could forget about everything that I left behind. Hannibal... Almost, I could almost forget.

After many sleepless nights and headaches trying to block out all the New Yorkers I had finally managed to get a modicum of control but it wasn't as satisfying as I would've thought. All those chaotic thoughts just rushing around all over the place…

Being up here, this high above all those people it was just a little easier to suffer through. Until that loud annoying voice cut through the peaceful fog I had been enjoying.

I looked around searching and found myself above the city with white clouds floating lazily past. For a moment everything was calmly peaceful, just a second and then it all fell out from under me. Literally.

The building rushed past as I fell but I couldn't really see much what with the red flower print of the robe slapping at my face. It was cold, almost freezing and I couldn't stop. I couldn't do anything. Then my wrist was stinging, burning. Burning? My breathless fall suddenly turned into an upward spiral the warmth was back unbearably so and I felt the faint stirrings of fear crawl up my spine. Was I on fire?

The first words out of her mouth should've been _'Thank you' _or _'You saved my life!.' _My favorite though, would've been both of those followed by a heartfelt _'How can I ever repay you?'_

Now that brought plenty of pleasing scenarios to mi-.

"Storm. If you so much as lower you're eyes or move a millimeter from this position you will know what _real_ flames are."

"Whoa!" hadn't I _just_ saved her from falling to her death? "Whoa-oh!"

That last 'oh' came after a pretty piece of silk blew past my shoulder and behind. My hands twitched but didn't glide over the smooth silk of her robe, nope Johnny Storm's gloved hands convulsively clutched at soft warm bare skin and Lady Daphna didn't like it.

Realization dawned slowly and when it did it felt like a ton of bricks. Over my shoulder in a choked voice I called out to Sue.

"Uh, a little help here?"

"Johnny-." Sue began with a hint of worry. She probably thought I'd hurt her but the little brunette in my arms pulled me around with a shout so I was shielding her from view then calmly asked for another robe. A minute later the robe appeared just in front of my shoulder.

"Eew…" I couldn't help it. Reed's arm was just-just- looked so… "Gross."

That was five minutes ago. Five long silent minutes ago and personally the silence was getting to me.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?" I asked.

"Johnny!" Sue warned but as usual I ignored her. I mean after all the fuss Reed had been making over Sue and it wasn't even _her_-.

"You know." I began slowly walking around Daphna. "You're awful quiet. Shouldn't you be happy or something? I mean you should be calling _someone_ by now…"

By _'someone'_ I meant _him_. Daphna should be calling_ him_ and-.

"Aw hell. Don't go falling off any balconies." I called over my shoulder before I left them.

I let my body drop into one of the armchairs, the heavy creak as my weight settled in barely registered. The Manor was empty except for me. I was the only one here, the last… when I told her to leave the past behind I never thought it would happen so soon or like this.

"A family."

Yes, that's what this had been. Daphna, sometimes Jax and Dom, and myself. Now there was King with his NightStalkers. The family was growing and soon there would be more…

Where did that leave me? What was I now? Still family but not by blood. Did that mean more? Or did blood matter? Was she still going to need the beast 'Bane'?

"A family." I repeated only I still couldn't really believe it.

Dude! This was big, huge!

I mean I knew, not about- but it's not so difficult to imagine- God No! Don't _imagine_ it!

When King carried Dee in here I had a little feeling, like I knew where they'd end up but I never seriously thought Dee would… I mean she kept running from the dude or dying on him.

Now that I think about it she's died twice with him and that one time… I wonder if she's like a cat. Nine lives..? I should ask Valen about that but he's too busy brooding about all this back at the Manor.

Forgetting about all of that- what about this? What now? I mean I _know_ what happens next but what about King?

Wonder what he's gonna say.

Would he want me now? Could I do this again? I'd been wondering, asking myself that question since Susan and Reed broke the news to me. It was the first real question that had formed from the jumbled thoughts in my head. I didn't think of Hannibal or his reaction but now-. What would he think? What if I was too late? Was I wrong to pull him back- he'd feel obligated, he'd want to do the right thing…

Hannibal… I couldn't help thinking about him. I'd been doing nothing besides that since I'd left him that morning. He has that old fashioned gentleman hiding deep down but I've seen him. Beneath all that gruff, tough maniacal behavior hides the soul of a warm, caring, compassionate man. So full of life after all that pain… I'd been wrong to think I didn't belong with him and I was hoping he would still care. That he wouldn't think any less of me under the circumstances.

"_So you're just going on a trip to New York? Just 'cause? We can see right through that, Dad."_

Damn Chris. I had never wanted to punch anyone quite so hard. Not that I actually punched him, but I thought about it. I thought about it a lot.

I had gotten a slightly cryptic call from Jax. Next thing I knew I was in New York. Standing in a cushy elevator, taking the slow ride up to the 64th floor. As usual, it was because of JD. Just about everything in my life centered on her now. And it was killing me. But that didn't stop me from trotting my happy little ass up to New York and bursting through the doors of this huge building. If I had known she had owned the damn thing I probably wouldn't have come, but … Well, ignorance is bliss.

The elevator slid into a stop. The delicate chime of a bell filled the elevator as the double doors opened to a spacious living room.

"Come in, Hannibal."

I might have been a little jumpy because when Valen's voice hit my ears I did this weird hopping-jump-look thing where I hopped a good five inches to the right and jumped in the air while my eyeballs fell out of my head. I was a little nervous. The last time I'd seen him he'd been on his way back to the Manor. I tried to recover with more confidence, so I sauntered into the room.

Shit, he can totally see right through me. He arched an eyebrow and gave me a half smile. Shit, he can totally see right through me! Well, at least I didn't do that weird whiplash thing and go "'Suuuuup." Because I was about this close to doing it.

Besides, who the fuck I was kidding? If Valen can see right through me I was going to be so transparent to JD that I would basically cease to exist. I tightened my right fist, clutching the ring tighter as it bit into my palm. The stones were cutting into my skin but I didn't care. It gave me something to focus on besides the feeling that I was going to vomit out pieces of my pelvis.

"She's out on the balcony." Jax materialized to my left. This time I did a hopping-spin-look that nearly sent me into an _extremely_ expensive looking vase. He saluted me with his chopsticks before digging into a bowl of chow-mien. Why is that kid always eating? Did he have some sort of medical issue...

I gave him a strained smile. She had both the watchdogs out. What? Did she think I was going to hurt her or something? I mean, conventionally speaking _I'm_ the one who should be worried about getting hurt.

Okay. Let's go. Out to the balcony. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to march right out there and tell her that I won't be stepped on anymore. That she either wants me, or she doesn't. Yup. That's what I'm going to tell her.

I stepped out onto the balcony and the wind stripped me of any bravado I thought I had. It was so cold. What was JD even – Well, she wasn't even out here. Not that I could see her. What? Was she playing hide 'n go seek? Did Jax think this was a joke or something?

That's when I heard it. Like a whisper carried on the wind.

"Hannibal?"

Yeah, it was her. I couldn't help but smile, oh, that voice. I thought I heard an air of uncertainty in threaded through it. I was probably imagining it, though.

She was perched on a covered, gazebo-like swing, wrapped in a thick, fluffy blanket. Her eyes were fixed on the city, scanning it in the twilight. A few strands of midnight colored waves danced across her face in the cool breeze. I glanced at the view for a moment, hoping the sight of the skyscrapers lined up like uneven soldiers would calm the fresh sight of her in my mind.

"It's, uh, kinda cold out here." I said, trying to keep my voice in a state of nonchalance, but that was almost as impossible as _not_ looking at her again; which was another thing I was currently trying to do.

"Yes." That was her answer. Was she nervous?

"I should apologize…"

I couldn't help but look at her then. Could she honestly be serious? She stopped but the words kept echoing in my head. She was _apologizing_?

"I left you – "

She was fucking apologizing. Like I was some drunken fuck at a swingers bar. Like I was some fucking – she had a lot of nerve. A fucking lot of nerve.

"You have a lot of nerve," It came out twelve times calmer than it was in my head. "You called me out here to apologize? Is that it? You've been running from me like I was arsenic from day one and you want to apologize. Well, _fuck_ your apology _and_ your pity. I don't need either of them. We're done here. I'm walking." And I did. I turned around and started the walk to the door, holding my head high; my demeanor betraying my emotions.

"No, Hannibal!"

It wasn't the words that stopped me. I was past words and reason. Her voice sounded so strained. Panicked. It grabbed me and yanked me so hard I couldn't move any closer to the door that I _needed_ to walk out of. My back stiffened. But I couldn't let her see my face. Then she would know. Really know.

"I know it's not enough. I know I've hurt you and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't feel the same as I."

I could barely comprehend what she was saying. I wanted to turn around – I almost turned around. Almost.

"I've been afraid to admit it, to let you see _me_. I've made excuses and yes, I ran from you. I didn't think I could move on, that I could be happy again. But you-."

A slightly nervous laugh broke into her words. The sound almost brought me to her feet. A lump of apprehension formed in my throat. Could she possibly be saying…

"You opened my eyes." There was a slight pause as if she were waiting… "Hannibal, won't you look at me?"

"You need me to see you run away? Or maybe you'll jump off the building again. Because that was a good time. Ah, memories." I sighed with enough sarcasm to choke a horse. I turned to face her. I could see it in her expression that those words were too harsh but could she blame me after the last four months? Hell, after the year we'd had?

"I need you to see me when I say,"

She took a deep breath but never looked away from me. It looked like she wanted too, but knew that she couldn't. Was she looking in my head for some sort of answer? I couldn't feel her up there, in my head.

"When I say-. I love you."

And that's when I saw her. I heard her say the three words I never thought I would hear in her voice. I wanted to be happy. I was happy but… Had it been worth it? I thought about the first time I had actually met her. About how she had jumped out of the Goddamned window to get away from me. How Chris had asked me why every hot chick couldn't wait to get away from me and Andie backing him up with her speculations of me pitching JD out the window myself.

"So, that's it?" I asked, "You say that and what is my reply, JD? What comes next? Is everything okay until you decided to run again? No." I shook my head and took a step towards her to close some distance. To show her what it was like to be close enough to see, but not touch. "I asked you once. I asked you what you wanted and you didn't know. That was a year ago, so I'll ask you again. What do you want, JD?"

That was it. The million dollar question. It was going to make me or break me. But I didn't know if I could survive another break.

JD smiled. It was a slow smile slightly raising the corners of her mouth until her eyes sparkled and my world caught fire.

"I want you Hannibal King."

"I want you Hannibal King."

There it was, finally out in the open and I felt like shouting it out again but I had to contain myself. I was worried Hannibal would say it was too little too late and walk out. I'd be alone then… maybe not completely alone but he wouldn't be here… no. I wasn't going to let those thoughts cloud this moment and I had to restrain the impulse to take a peek in his head.

"Me?" Hannibal asked with the goofiest look on his face. I grinned feeling happy and hopeful as I nodded.

"Me. You do want me!" he shouted. The swing suddenly moved as Hannibal practically threw himself next to me. We almost fell out of it but he kept us in the seat.

"Careful!" I cried clutching the covers over me. If I lost those then he would know and I still had to tell him. Suddenly I had no breath with which to say the rest and I blissfully let his lips crush mine. When we did come up for air Hannibal had his hand twined in my hair and he was wagging a finger at me.

"This," he said pointing and just then a ray of sunlight seemed to bean down and red sparks shot out in different directions. "I swiped this from the treasure room when we were at the Devil's Spine. I've been carrying it around waiting for the right moment…"

I couldn't- he didn't know yet!

"Hannibal…"

"There's only one more thing I want to ask JD."

"Hannibal-."

"Would you spend what time we have left with me?"

Dear God. This wasn't at all how I'd thought it would go. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"As my wife?"

"Hannibal I have to tell you something. Before you go any further you need to know-."

"What? You don't like the ring I'm sure we can find another one."

He was trying to be glib, trying to cover the hurt he thought was coming.

"No Hannibal. I love the ring but I have to tell-."

"No. No more JD. All right? I can't- either you do or you don-."

"Hannibal! I'm pregnant."

The silence feel around us like a heavy fog and for a second I thought this was it. The happiness was done with, gone, finished.

"You're what?" he asked quietly. Hannibal didn't move from his spot never took his eyes from my face.

"I'm… I-."

Hannibal pulled the covers from me and sat up. Slowly his eyes traveled down my face to my slightly bulging belly. I closed my eyes with a sigh feeling the cold air rush around me and I shivered.

Have you ever been blind sided? It's an odd feeling. Kind of like getting the wind knocked out of you. Only for your mind, like your mind couldn't breathe but its legs were still running, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. I mean, shit! How could this happen? I mean I _know_ how it happened – it's my favorite part, believe me – but this was just… Oh my God, she's pregnant.

JD shuddered and I felt like a complete ass. Here was a pregnant lady sitting out in the cold New York winter weather and I just yanked her covers. Well, what the hell was she doing out her in the first place!

"Dammit, JD! Its way too fucking cold out here for you! _Especially_ a woman in your, uh, condition." I bundled her up again and started to carry her towards the balcony's glass French doors.

"You still didn't answer my question," I reminded her. "And if you thinking you're running away from me again you can just forget that. There is no way in _hell_ I am ever letting you out of my sight again. Not to mention that fact that, well, you're just not going to be very fast and I'll probably catch you before you got pass the refrigerator."

She smiled again and laid a warm hand on my cheek. There was a good two days worth of stubble on my face but that didn't seem to bother her.

"I won't be running any more Hannibal. This is where I belong."

"It's about time you realized it. And I'm going to fucking _kill_ those two for even letting you _think_ about sitting out here. VALEN! _JAX!_"

Her laughter mixed with my threats as I carried her through the doors. Yeah, things were going to change.

"_You can't live this life forever."_

But now I don't have to. Now I had a new life to plan for. One with JD and our child.

* * *

**AN:/ WHATtheF**

**_tears!_ ****I'd like to thank the academy – oh wait… wrong speech. ****Lovelovelove the epilogue. Fitting. Enough closure but totally enough room for a sequel! wooO!**

**AN:/** **So, we have come to the end and I hope you've all enjoyed our fic. Of course there will be a sequel so look for _'Generations'_ sometine in the next couple of months. **

**1377 hits for this fic alone is great even though most didnt leave a review. For those who did, THANK YOU! You're the best. **

**Ciao!**


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